Tree Nymph

[Randy Stout]

This handsome creature was captured at our local butterfly sanctuary a few days ago. No tripods or monopods allowed, so shooting with available light can be a challenge. Lots of tall overhead vegetation, so shadows always a challenge.


Z6. 70-180 Micro Nikkor, f/10 ISO 2000 135mm 1/200 second. Hand held.

Small crop for comp. Post: LRCC and PS2020. Background courtesy of Roy vanLoo. We work the butterflies as a team.

Advice and comments always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Glad to see you back in Macro Randy! I like the image composition, the butterfly seems to be well focused. I would be tempted to have a look at the blacks, they look a little heavy/dense to me, I sense there is more detail to be had. The background looks good, I would however apply a gentle vignette, the pale areas on the edges of the frame tend to draw the eye from the subject a little bit.
I appreciate these little critters don't read the text books but if the wings had not actually been resting inside the fold of the grass blade it would have looked even better.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks Jon:

Good points. Can't help the wing placement issue unfortunately. I had already lifted the blacks , but will hit it again.

Cheers

Randy

[John Mack]

Nice view of this tree nymph. Never heard or seen one so i enjoyed viewing. Background is solid. You did very well hand holding this one.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Randy, lifting the blacks has 'minimal' effect, if you lift the shadows you will see a far greater change, especially in the 'dome' of the eye, it's all just too clogged in the darks/blacks. The issue you then have is that everything just looks then thin & washed out, as highlighted in the RP, but you se more detail. Revisiting the raw and resetting back to the original import properties maybe worth looking into, or simply just create a virtual copy and starting afresh.

Steve

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

Appreciate your input. Here is a redo with a luminosity mask run on the blacks. Fairly subtle change, but it does open up the blacks without looking blah, in my opinion at least !

Randy

[Steve Kaluski]

I know with the 1DX MKII you had at least a stop to play with in LR, but like all things, it all depends on the raw. I’m away with only the laptop to view which is less than ideal!!! Will look later on the laptop, current chasing around for groceries!!!!!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Randy, yes better, but I might 'selectively' look at some areas too, but then, how far do we take it...? :w3

[Randy Stout]

Hi Randy, yes better, but I might 'selectively' look at some areas too, but then, how far do we take it...? :w3. Indeed. Probably only thing I would pursue is to further lighten the eye to show bit more detail/texture. Thanks

Randy

[Steve Kaluski]

Agree Randy :cheers:

[Mitch Carucci]

A dramatic butterfly. Almost pure B&W!