Butterfly ID

[Paul Lagasi]

Taken at a Butterfly Farm....background a bit noisy...but not bad for 1000 iso, don't know what the name is, anyone know?

D300
Nikon 105 Macro
iso - 1000
1/200
f6.3
handheld

[Ed Vatza]

Can't help with the id, Paul but it is a pretty cool looking butterfly.

Overall, I think the image looks pretty good. I think just a tad more dof would have brought the lower part of the wing in better focus. Otherwise the background looks good albeit a bit noisy as you pointed out. Did you run it through any noise reduction (Neat Image, Noise Ninja, or such)?

[Julie Kenward]

What a beautiful butterfly! I've never seen that one, either. I agree with Ed that a bit more DOF would have been nice but I do like that you got the head and eyes in focus nicely.

Be sure to watch the BG around you as well. I think if you had bent down a bit more you might have got a more solid dark green BG instead of the light/green mix. What you have here isn't bad but if there's time, move around and check out all the angles. You never know when the magic will happen!

[Mike Moats]

Hey Paul, I think it comp and BG came out well, and agree about needing a tad more DOF on the lower part of the wing, good job on the focus of the eyes and head.

[Paul Lagasi]

Thanks All, comment welcome and appreciated..I find biggest problem going hand held (with Macro 105), is any small movement, foreward or back ward throws off the DOF...I will have to get used to this lens..just got it last fall..first time I used it....maybe use a tripod....Paul

[Dave Mills]

I believe it's called a Lacewing

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

One vote for using a tripod.
Details here are excellent as well as colors and compo. May be you could darken the bg a bit.

[Bud Cline]

This is a Leopard Lacewing butterfly that is found in South Asia. I shoot with the 105mm macro VR hand held at a butterfly show where I work. I have found that I have to use f/16 to get the entire butterfly in focus when shooting with this lens. I use an SB00 at full power with a diffusion dome to allow for a high enough shutter speed to shoot hand held - the VR helps a lot with this too. On occasion I use a monopod but find using a tripod with this lens is more trouble than it is worth unless I shoot very early in the day before the butterflies become active. Is sure helps that I have access to the butterflies before the show opens.