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Bill Jobes
08-09-2014, 12:37 PM
A Tiger Swallowtail is about to be hit by an invading wasp. This action was a pleasant surprise when I opened the image on the computer.

The butterfly jumped off the flower, but at the time I presumed it was just leaving for another blossom.

The sun was harsh, but when the opportunity arises with the arrival of a subject, one forges ahead.

Nikon D4

Sigma 180mm macro

1/4000

F/7.1

Auto ISO at 1600

SB 800 flash at 0 ev

Comments and critiques always welcomed and appreciated.

Norm Dulak
08-09-2014, 03:47 PM
Hi Bill.

Photographs of critters attacking other critters seem to be in vogue these days. But I would not regard this situation as a "pleasant surprise." The butterfly on the flower should be the focus of this image IMHO.

As you have noted, the sun was harsh. Thus what was a beautiful butterfly, I'm afraid was not well captured. In the future, if I were you I would avoid the attack aspect, and focus my attention on beautiful butterflies well exposed on pretty flowers. But that's just my opinion, and I'm sure others might well disagree.

BTW, did the butterfly survive the attack?

On a technical level, please tell me why you set your camera at auto ISO 1600 while using flash, when there was harsh sunlight? And why was your camera set at 1/4000 sec when flash in harsh sunlight was used?

Bill Jobes
08-09-2014, 06:40 PM
Hi Bill.

Hi Norm, and thanks for the thoughtful comments.

Photographs of critters attacking other critters seem to be in vogue these days. But I would not regard this situation as a "pleasant surprise." The butterfly on the flower should be the focus of this image IMHO.

Actually the butterfly was the focus. As I mentioned above, I was quite surprised to see the inbound wasp when I looked at the image on the monitor. Being in vogue wasn't on my mind.

As you have noted, the sun was harsh. Thus what was a beautiful butterfly, I'm afraid was not well captured.

In fact, it was well-captured. The histogram is perfect, and the raw image looks just fine. But I could have done a much better job of processing the image. I was trying to fit it in hastily on a busy day. Lesson learned.

In the future, if I were you I would avoid the attack aspect, and focus my attention on beautiful butterflies well exposed on pretty flowers. But that's just my opinion, and I'm sure others might well disagree.

As mentioned, I wasn't looking for an attack. I was, however, happy to have 'captured' the image. Frankly, I am a bit weary of animal and insect portraits. I enjoy them, but I always hope for more. Particularly action that tells a story of their life at that instant.

BTW, did the butterfly survive the attack?

It did survive being hit. In fact at the time, I thought it had simply jumped off the blossom to move to another.

On a technical level, please tell me why you set your camera at auto ISO 1600 while using flash, when there was harsh sunlight?

I set my camera on auto ISO, and the camera chose 1600 for the image. I was using flash for two purposes -- fill light for harsh sun angles as well as freezing flight action, which is what I was really trying to capture. To no avail, I might add.

And why was your camera set at 1/4000 sec when flash in harsh sunlight was used?

I did not select 1/4000. The camera did based on my F/7.1 aperture priority. But I'm happy it did so, as it would have froze the wings if I'd been fortunate to get a liftoff or flight photo. I knew it was going to be a high shutter speed.

Again, aperture priority, auto ISO and flash produced a perfect raw image from which to work. Everything else you see in the edited and cropped photo is on me. Truth be told, I almost posted it with only a crop and zero processing. :S3:

Jonathan Ashton
08-10-2014, 03:56 AM
A very interesting image, the butterfly is well illuminated and the wasp seems to me a little less so. I have to admit I have not seen a wasp such as this so I may be off tack here but I just opened the image and made a selection of the wasp and opened Levels , then I moved the Gamma slider to the left, this seems to bring out a little more detail. WDYT??
I would consider a little NR to the background, I think this would soften it lightly.

Bill Jobes
08-10-2014, 05:08 AM
All good suggestions and observations, Jonathan.

I'll post the unprocessed original so you and any others who may be so inclined can play with it.

Though a bit in haste, I still struggled with this one in post. I'm not really pleased with my results.

Bill Jobes
08-10-2014, 05:21 AM
Here is my original, unprocessed raw file simply converted to JPEG and to sRGB, and reduced in size to meet upload guidelines.

As you can see, the area in the OP is a pretty significant crop.

Anyone wanting to give a go at post-processing is most welcome.

Jonathan Ashton
08-10-2014, 06:36 AM
Here is my original, unprocessed raw file simply converted to JPEG and to sRGB, and reduced in size to meet upload guidelines.

As you can see, the area in the OP is a pretty significant crop.

Anyone wanting to give a go at post-processing is most welcome.

How's this?

Norm Dulak
08-10-2014, 07:52 AM
Thanks, Bill, for explaining the rationale for the use of flash, and how the camera settings were produced. I've never used auto ISO but might experiment with it. And I like your repost!

Bill Jobes
08-10-2014, 09:14 AM
How's this?

Outstanding, Jonathan -- thank you.

You've demonstrated that my hand was too heavy in the OP ... and confirm my theory about wishing I'd done the OP with very little adjustments, other than cropping.

Bill Jobes
08-10-2014, 09:17 AM
Thanks, Bill, for explaining the rationale for the use of flash, and how the camera settings were produced. I've never used auto ISO but might experiment with it. And I like your repost!

It was my pleasure, Norm. Your probing questions confirmed my original nagging doubts about my handling of the OP.

BTW, I don't always use Auto ISO. I was wanting to see how the system handled my efforts with Aperture Priority and little more input other than focus and comp.

Allen Sparks
08-10-2014, 10:28 PM
Hi Bill, this is an interesting behavioral capture IMO. Nice that the wasp and butterfly are both sharp. True the light is harsh and wish for a better background but still worth a good look.

Allen

Bill Jobes
08-11-2014, 07:38 AM
Thank you, Allen. :S3:

Diane Miller
08-12-2014, 06:41 PM
I don't mind the natural-looking environment, and the ambient light light doesn't strike me as harsh in the OP, but the processing went too far toward darkening things. The wasp and grass behind it are especially dark. I don't know how you processed, but it may be a case where a global adjustment isn't enough, and the left 1/3 or so needed a different adjustment. That's easy in LR / ACR with the gradient tool or adjustment brush, or two differently processed raw files can be layered in PS, or localized adjustments made to one raw conversion in PS.

Bill Jobes
08-12-2014, 09:13 PM
Your observation is correct, Diane. I did go too far in reducing the brightness. Since I don't use either LR or ACR, so I can't experiment with your suggestions. But I appreciate your offering them.