Orange Tip

[Jonathan Michael Ashton]

I took this one on of my morning walks:
Canon 20D Canon 100mm macro lens Canon 550EX flashgun plus Stofen Omnibounce
ISO 200 @ -1/3 stop
Fill in flash @ -2/3 stop
1/200 sec @ f8
I suspect the blade of grass at the bottom will bother some people but I thought it added to the shot.
Thanks for looking, all comments are welcome.

Jon

[John Cooper]

Superb detail in this unusual looking butterfly Jonathan, complimented by the nice soft light and good BG. I don't find the blade of grass obtrusive. Nice image!!

[Julie Kenward]

Wonderful image. I love the whole composition (even with the blade of grass) and the detail on the insect is suberb!

[Alfred Forns]

I like it Jonathan Unusual coming up with such a combination. I like the butterfly's parallel positioning rendering the bug in focus from one end to the other. Very pleasing image !!!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Johnathan,
The balance of the butterfly (moth?).............and the flowers is very appealing. The lighting is handled very well also as well as the BG. Don't mind the grass at all. Very well done.

[Mike Moats]

Hey Jonathan, an excellent image with great details and BG. For me the blade at the bottom doesn't work, I would clone it out it if it were my image. Even witrh the blade its an outstanding image.

[Ed Vatza]

Beautiful image. Love the detail on the butterfly as well as the flowers. I feel the blade of grass swoops in the one direction that neither impacts the image positively or negatively. I really liek this image.

[Robert O'Toole]

Like the comp and the unusual subject. Great sharpness and flash technique. the image does not at all look flashed.

Good work, I would like to see more room in the frame but I think that is just a minor point.

Robert

[Jonathan Michael Ashton]

That is an interesting point Robert maybe I didn't need to crop quite so much. I am currently field testing Sigma 150mm and . 180mm with 1.4 and 2xTC, The old canon macro I own has a recessed front element so there is no need for a lens hood, the Sigma lenses similar to the newer Canon lenses have large lens hoods and whilst they offer a longer working distance for a given magnification the lens hoods certainly eat into that distance. The main reasons for my checking out the longer lenses are that I want to see if in practice I do tend to get smoother cleaner backgrounds. the longer working distance I suspect helps a little, but it is early days yet. The Canon 180mm macro, from what I can see is good but no better than the Sigma 180mm which is less then half the price in UK. The build quality is better but not the optical quality.
Jon

[Mary Stamper]

Wonderful image. Not something seen very often. I'd possibly blur the blade of grass a bit more, rather than removing it entirely.

[Roman Kurywczak]

[ The Canon 180mm macro, from what I can see is good but no better than the Sigma 180mm which is less then half the price in UK. The build quality is better but not the optical quality.
Jon[/quote]

Hi Jon,
I own the sigma 180 macro......i don't agre with the build quality............although I will give the canon a plus on the "finish"..............not worth 2X the price............as all i care about is image quality...........don't care who makes the lens! I love my Sigma 180 macro! .........have used it for over 3 years! An added benefit is the 180.....lets you get further away frm your subject..........lesss likely to spook! Don't get rid of the shorter lens though.......works better in aquariums and such!