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Julie Brown
02-20-2010, 03:49 PM
Another butterfly from the SFSU Sierra Nevada workshop, June 2008.

Canon 20D, 300mm f4L IS, ISO 200, f10 @1/200sec, 0 EV, pattern metering, manual mode, HH

PP: Lightroom 2.6
large crop greater than 50%; tilted flower and butterfly CW slightly
exp adjustment: set black and white points, highlight recovery, fill light
enhanced clarity and vibrance, added contrast
tone curve: brought darks and lights down
used wacom tablet with adjustment brush: selective sharpening of wings, body and flower, brought whites in wings down and shadows of flowers up
sharpening and NR, post-crop vignette

PS Elements: removed distracting leaf and dark spots from BG with clone tool, resized for the web

Fabs Forns
02-20-2010, 09:21 PM
Very pretty colors and lovely perch. I may have taken this as a horizontal. 1/200 was pushing your luck for hh macro, especially for 300mm, what ISO were you using?

Julie Brown
02-20-2010, 09:41 PM
Thanks for the comment, Fabs.:)

I shot this at ISO 200 and the lens has IS. Should I match the SS and the ISO with the lens focal length as a rule of thumb, despite having IS?

Here is another view that I rotated slightly. I chose the image in the first post because the antennae stood out more.

Fabs Forns
02-20-2010, 09:43 PM
From a compositional point of view, the second one is much stronger and yes, you should try to at least match the focal length, for birds, and hh, I double it.

Julie Brown
02-20-2010, 09:52 PM
Thanks, Fabs. I really appreciate the advice!:D

Fabs Forns
02-20-2010, 10:00 PM
I should add that I never hh macro, critical sharpness very important. The most I've done is a monopod.

Julie Brown
02-20-2010, 10:19 PM
Fabs, since I have joined BPN, I have learned just how important sharpness is!:D

When I first started chasing butterflies and participating in field seminars, I tried using a tripod, but it was a hindrance (it was also a cheap one). If it is sunny and warm, they tend to move fairly quickly. Also, butterfliers have a rule that you have to stay back until everyone has gotten a look and the species is identified. When I shot this image I was part of a butterfly workshop with Paul Opler, and he kept the group on the move!

But I do have a Gitzo Traveler now, so I think I will give it another try.:)

Ken Childs
02-21-2010, 08:52 AM
Julie, I like the second shot better. The tilted body more than makes up for the appearance of the antennae. The wings don't look all that sharp but I think that may just be the subject. Some bugs never look completely in focus, even when they are.

I have a hard time thinking of shooting with a long lens as macro. When I'm shooting bflies with my 100-400, I'm no closer than 6 feet. How close do you think you were to this bug? I never use a tripod with a long lens for the reasons you already mentioned. Rarely is the ground close to level so by the time you're setup, the bfly has moved on.

Allen Sparks
02-21-2010, 09:06 AM
I like the second shot better as well. And ditto on the difficulty of using tripods to shoot butterflies...they just move too fast for me - I'm lucky to catch them hand held.

I'm wondering if the focus on this butterfly just got away due to motion blur of the subject or some other factor. I try to shoot insects at around 1/200 shutter speed and generally get fairly sharp results.

Julie Brown
02-21-2010, 12:14 PM
Ken, and Allen, thanks for the comments. I agree that the second post is a better composition.

I was fairly far away from this butterfly-it was a large crop. The focus is probably off due to the fact that when I spot the bug I start shooting and move in, with the goal of filling the frame when I get to my minimum focus distance of 1.5 meters with this lens. I did not get close to this butterfly.

My Canon 300mm f4L IS is an awesome lens, and I have found it to be useful when both I and the butterflies are on the move. I need to go into my archives and find an image to post that was not a huge crop!

What I have not done is use my 100mm 2.8 macro lens for butterflies. I need to give this a try for more static butterflies, when spring comes.:)

Ken Childs
02-21-2010, 12:50 PM
The 100mm is good for small bflies when they're distracted by lots of flowers. If you've got the space, try planting some Lantana. It's a butterfly magnet!

Julie Brown
02-21-2010, 12:55 PM
Thanks, Ken. Lantana is an annual in this region, but I love it! I'll make sure I get some this spring.

Have you looked at Allen's Painted Lady? I'm thinking a longer macro lens might be a good idea.:)

Ken Childs
02-21-2010, 01:16 PM
Thanks, Ken. Lantana is an annual in this region, but I love it! I'll make sure I get some this spring.

Have you looked at Allen's Painted Lady? I'm thinking a longer macro lens might be a good idea.:)
Look for Miss Huff Lantana. It's a cold hardy variety that should handle your winters. I haven't looked at the Painted Lady shot but I will right now.

BTW, I took a short walk around the property this morning and saw 2 butterflies! They were either Question Marks or Commas.

Julie Brown
02-21-2010, 02:38 PM
Ken, thanks for the tip about Lantana. I will look for it.

It is always nice to see butterflies on a warm winter's day. Makes you think that spring is not far off!:)

Ken Childs
02-21-2010, 02:45 PM
Ken, thanks for the tip about Lantana. I will look for it.

It is always nice to see butterflies on a warm winter's day. Makes you think that spring is not far off!:)
I know those butterflies were mocking me but it was nice to see them anyway. :)

Jackie Schuknecht
02-21-2010, 07:21 PM
Julie I like the second composition too. Good advice from Fabs. I also use the remote timer set on 10 secs, that seems to get rid of any camera shake once I have finished focusing.

Julie Brown
02-21-2010, 07:48 PM
Thanks Jackie. When I shoot from a tripod, I use a cable release and mirror lock-up. Is the timer a better method?

Jackie Schuknecht
02-21-2010, 08:21 PM
I think they are both good. I usually forget to bring the cable release.

Vida van der Walt
02-22-2010, 01:00 AM
Lovely colours in this Julie. I prefer the comp of the repost. I find a tripod to cumbersome to use with insects and about 99% of my shots are handheld but I know a tripod or monopod will give the best results.:)

Julie Kenward
02-22-2010, 07:44 PM
I also prefer the second image but just want to remind everyone that it's one image per post in the forums - if you want to post a second image, wait 24 hours and post again! No harm, no foul - but I wanted to remind everyone of the rules!

For me, the detail is there and the composition is nice (especially in the 2nd image) but I do really miss the face - I am just not a big fan of getting them at this back angle. I don't mind photographs where the angle is back from the head as long as the bf is more at a 90 degree to the focal plane. I feel like I'm missing something by not getting at least a partial face - I love good eye contact!

Julie Brown
02-22-2010, 08:34 PM
Vida, thanks for the comment.

Jules, sorry for the second image. I guess I was thinking repost, forgetting it was a different image. :o

I know you like that eye contact, and don't think I won't remember that when I go out shooting again!:D