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Jerry van Dijk
10-01-2008, 12:59 PM
Panasonic DMC-FZ18, handheld (image stabiliser), 83mm (500 mm DSLR equivalent), ISO 100, F/4.2, 1/320 sec, pattern metering, natural light, no EC.

This is the European Peacock butterfly (Inachis io), shot in Belgium in the Warche valley where I also shot the rare hoverfly I posted some time ago. Hardly any PP, just added a little contrast and a little sharpness. Did clone out some disturbing twigs. I still doubt wheter to clone out the OOF yellow flower and the white clock in the BG, but I like the way it repeats the FG flower and clock. Still, you might find it distracting from the main subject. Let me know what you think!

- Jerry -

Julie Kenward
10-01-2008, 03:46 PM
Nice detail Jerry! I do find myself wishing I could see more or less of the yellow flower, though. I'd also think about cloning out the two flowers in the ULC as they don't really add anything to the image. Perhaps a vertical crop instead?

Gus Cobos
10-01-2008, 05:59 PM
Hi Jerry,
I like the image and capture, I would go vertical; or if you leave it the way it is, I would move the subject to the left of the frame to give the flower perch some growing room. agree with Lady Julie in reference to the oof flowers...:cool:

Robert O'Toole
10-01-2008, 09:17 PM
Just beautiful Jerry! The details and colors are just superb.

I would crop a little from the left and remove the OOF flowers as you mentioned.

Robert

Jerry van Dijk
10-02-2008, 02:13 PM
Hey there, thanks for your comments! Tried a vertical crop and I think the image improved a lot! Also removed the oof flower which was also a good idea. Julie, I tried to get rid of the central flower, but it then seems like the bf is suspended in mid air while in a resting position, which looked rather odd to me. My idea for a solution is to tone down color and brightness of those very bright petals near the head, but Photopaint is acting weird and doesn't want to perform the job, so I leave you with the cropped image.

- Jerry -

Mike Moats
10-02-2008, 03:00 PM
Hey Jerry, I like the original, except for the OOF flowers on top, but your repost worked really well. Great job.

Julie Kenward
10-02-2008, 03:06 PM
I do like the vertical better! Nice improvement Jerry.

Stuart Frohm
10-06-2008, 12:08 PM
Thanks very much for the beautiful photography and for introducing me to a butterfly I don't recall seeing elsewhere.

Jerry van Dijk
10-07-2008, 10:03 AM
Hi Stuart, you are very welcome. Thank you for your compliments! I don't think this species is found in the USA, but in Europe it is quite common, although like all other butterfly species it is under quite some pressure, at least in the Netherlands. It must be said that they are one of the prettiest butterfly species around here!
- Jerry -