Red Lily and a Monarch

[Michael Lloyd]

The butterfly was really digging deep in a patch of red lilies that came up in my yard. Some people gripe when I post macro images from a 600mm lens used with macro tubes. If it's not acceptable here that's cool. Just move it or delete it. I use my 600mm lens with tubes a lot and I personally consider it a tool for macro photography. Especially when the subject won't let you get close (for some reason the butterflies that frequent these lilies leave when I try to get within 180mm macro lens range).

EOS 1DsMKIII
600mm f4L IS with a total of 37mm of Canon tubes

1/40 second
f5.6
ISO 400

[Julie Kenward]

You are perfectly fine to post those types of images here, Michael. Macro is not the lens you use but the magnification you get and this is nicely done. I think you did a very nice job on the image overall - good DOF and you have a lovely BG color against the red flowers. I do wonder if the butterfly didn't get a bit washed out in the process? Perhaps selecting him and deepening the mid/dark tones a bit?

[Michael Lloyd]

Thanks Julie!

In the case of the butterfly, I think that he / she is a senior citizen. While I was shooting I noticed that it was not as "contrasty" as they usually are. Maybe all that flapping around "slung" it's color off :D But... I think your idea would help the image.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hey Michael, I like your image. The flowers provide an excelent canvas for the butterfly. I wish it was a bit larger in the frame, I find myself a bit too distracted by those beautifully detailed flowers. Regarding your choice of lenses and tubes: IMO this is exactly the reason why extension tubes were invented! Many of the "macro"images I shoot were simply shot at 500 mm for the same reason! A considerable working distance is a good thing with jumpy subjects. By the way, based on the wing markings and the extensions on the lower wings, I don't think that this butterfly is a Monarch. I'm not an expert on US species, but by the looks of it, it belongs to the Papilionidae family.
- Jerry -

[Chris Starbuck]

For comparison, here's a Monarch. http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22452

Your's is definitely a swallowtail, I think probably a spicebush swallowtail, but it's pretty faded (they constantly lose wing scales during their brief adult lives).