HummingbirdMoth

[Paul Lagasi]

Today when checking in to a motel in Nebraska on trip out to San Francisco, I thought I saw a small hummingbird so tried to snap a picture in darkness using only camera flash, when I looked at it with my laptop was surprised to see it was a moth...first time I've seen one of these...
D300 1/60 f4.5 iso-500 camera flash handheld 380mm 200-400 vr

[Julie Kenward]

Paul, do you have any of the data on the image?

I think you did a good job of focusing on the moth but I believe your aperture might have been too wide open to really capture the flower with any kind of detail. The image also seems very "muddy" and could use a levels/curves adjustment to really make the whites and blacks "pop." Lastly, you've got him square in the middle of the image. If you had stepped around a bit you might have found a better frame for his portrait, especially if you had moved forward to where his face was and shot down at the same angle.

Good for you for having your camera ready! I'd play with it a bit and try to bring out the colors and tones some more.

[Mike Moats]

Hey Paul, this is way cool, love it!!

[Paul Lagasi]

Lol....Julie no chance to get in front he was working flowers, but wall was behind him...but I cropped it a bit. Will try to move him left.

[Ed Vatza]

Hi Paul,

I guess I come down somewhere between Mike and Julie. I really, really like this image but keep looking at it and thinking it could be better - it could "pop" a little more. I really like the way the colors work together with the color in the wing working well with the color of the flower and the rest of the wing working with the background (wall?). I wish I could put my finger on what I would like to see. The contrast seems fine. Oh well, anyway you look at it, its keeper.

By the way, we had three of these moths on our Butterfly Bush at one time this week.

[Chip Berry]

Hi Paul:
Fantastic capture or this hummermoth. I am a bit surprised that with a flash at 1/60 you were able to sop the wings. These guys are really a tough bug to get sharp photos of.

We have quite a number of these in Southeastern, CT. The bodies of ours tend to be more yellowish/ gold bodies with a black band on the abdomen and tail.
Cheers
Chip