Blue eyes with blue flowers

[Randy Stout]

Each year I venture to our local butterfly conservatory at this time, when they have their annual event. It is always great fun, and a bit of a challenge as well, because the lighting is unpredictable, and usually poor in Michigan this time of year, so flash is generally needed. Not being a great fan of black backgrounds, I often work with artificial backgrounds that can be held behind the butterfly in some cases, so that the flash lights it. Roy Van Loo made a series of these backgrounds, and we take turns holding them for each other.

D4 Sigma 180 f/11 1/200s ISO 1250 . No tripods or monopods are allowed, so I have a little brace that I hold against my belt. R1C1 flash, two heads.

Post: Selective sharpening, crop for composition.

Advice and comments always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[shane shacaluga]

Nicely composed and good details. Those blue flowers add a lot of interest

Need to try using a fake BG myself. Were you using ISO 1250 to get enough light on BG or were you not using a flash for this one?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Great shot, there is a butterfly farm not too far from where I live, I will have to make a visit - with a background!
Focus spot on, the flash is spot on it is not at all apparent to me.

[Norm Dulak]

Stunning photo, Randy. I can think of nothing that would improve it.

[shane shacaluga]

I went to a butterfly farm once and all my lenses steamed up. :bg3:

[Randy Stout]

Thanks guys.

re: fogging lenses. Yes, a real issue. I put my gear in a large cooler that I have warmed in my house all night. This keeps the temp up during the drive to the conservatory, and I usually don't have any fogging when I get the camera out in the 85 degree, 90% humidity inside. This wouldn't be necessary probably if the ambient temperature was high enough, but my spot is only open for 6 weeks during the winter.

Cheers

Randy

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Randy. Lots to like in this one - pose, comp, sharpness, exposure, and background. The blue of the flowers does go nicely with the blue in the eye. About the only way to improve this would be if the butterfly was more pristine - not much you could do about that. :S3:

[Diane Miller]

Simply stunning! Great sharpness and detail, wonderful detail in the darks, beautiful composition and BG.

[mohammad reza shahab]

Hi Randy,
Great shot,Nicely perch and composed.very good. details.

[Anita Bower]

Very nice. Good idea to use a fake bg, which does not look fake in the photo. Love the blue eyes and blue flowers. Well done. I can't imagine hand-holding a 180mm lens.