The relation between nuclear shell structure and nuclear shapes is brought out in diverse mass regions. Thus certain nuclear orbitals, shown to be responsible for the development of mass-asymmetric distortions, are here followed in more detail for large and realistic shape changes. The same holds for axial asymmetries. The study is applied to actinide and superheavy nuclei as as well as very light ones, among the latter ²⁴Mg, which is shown to exhibit a deep octupole-shape second minimum.