Zebra Swallowtail

[Allen Sparks]

Canon 7D, 300 f4 plus 1.4 TC, monopod
ISO 400, f11, 1/250s

I find these butterflies very desirable subjects but difficult to photograph because they seem to never hold still. This was my best effort from a couple of weeks ago. I darkened some of the flower petals in PP. I was going to lighten the eye before Ken had a chance to but since the eye is black I left it as is :) ....

Ken, this was from Shelby Forest too...your tip is being appreciated by my entire camera club pretty much...thanks!

[Julie Brown]

Beautiful flower and background, Allen. The butterfly seems to be in sharp focus, as is the flower. Very well done, IMO. Are you finding the monopod to be preferable to hand-held shooting? I also have the 300mm f4L IS + 1.4X combo.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Julie, thanks for the comments. I have gone to shooting the 300 f4 + TC with a monopod for all my subjects (macros and birds) to try to get an extra level of sharpness and to avoid arm fatigue -- it is a heavier lens than I am used to for macros. Even though I'm not sure this particular butterfly is the very best example - they never stop moving. I saw this one relatively still when I first arrived at the flower patch and just planted the monopod and shot immediately because I knew the chance would not be around long - and sure enough this was the most still one I saw all day. I've grown accustomed to the monopod and plan to keep using it. I find it relatively easy to adjust the height for most subject levels including significant tilting if need be before actually adjusting a section length. I use a standard tilt head. Hope that helps.... - Allen

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nice shot indeed, I really like the colours and exposure. A couple of minor points you may wish to consider - the pale area at the base of the tail - perhaps blend it in a little and I would be tempted to add a little canvas at the left so the flower and butterfly do not appear so central in the image.

[Julie Brown]

Hi Allen,

I really love this image! It is just gorgeous. As Jonathan suggested, you could add a bit more canvas on the left, but other than that I don't see how it could be any better than this.:)

Thanks for the reply to my first comment. I do have a monopod and a RRS monopod head that I use with rental lenses for shooting birds. If using a monopod (we know that tripods are not practical for butterflies) will give me a higher % of keepers, I am going to try it!

[OvidiuCavasdan]

Very nice BF and good pose, like the colors and dof. Well done.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hi Allen,

I really love this image! It is just gorgeous. As Jonathan suggested, you could add a bit more canvas on the left, but other than that I don't see how it could be any better than this.:)

Thanks for the reply to my first comment. I do have a monopod and a RRS monopod head that I use with rental lenses for shooting birds. If using a monopod (we know that tripods are not practical for butterflies) will give me a higher % of keepers, I am going to try it!

Jules - sorry but I have to debate this point - tripods are not as flexible as monopods but they do provide better support and they can keep the camera still. When using a tripod it can be an encumbrance and lead to the disturbance of foliage etc leading to more lost opportunities but I would suggest when you nail one - well you nail it. The monopod is handy and convenient and better than nothing but it is not better than a tripod. The monopod will provide more opportunities but inevitably there will be a lot of "nearly" shots and a few "gotcha's". I think tripods are practical provided you are prepared to have fewer opportunities, you can however maximise your opportunities by getting out early morning when the butterflies are less active. I would suggest if the weather conditions and time is on your side then a tripod is de rigour but if conditions are less than ideal and you have just got to do some macro shots outside then a monopod is the answer.;)

[Julie Brown]

The monopod will provide more opportunities but inevitably there will be a lot of "nearly" shots and a few "gotcha's". I think tripods are practical provided you are prepared to have fewer opportunities

Jonathan, I totally agree with you. Tripods are the way to go if you want optimal sharpness. I have had this discussion with Fabs and others in previous butterfly posts (maybe Ken will weigh in if he reads this thread). I tried using a tripod when I first started chasing butterflies in the field, and wound up missing more shots than nailing them. I think tripods are most practical in a garden where you can set up and just wait.

When I am in the field I'm usually looking for birds and dragonflies as well, and carry two cameras. My strategy when hand holding is to get the shutter speed up and fire off a burst. For mobility, I like the monopd idea, but I do have a Gitzo Traveler carbon fiber tripod, which is very light, so I might consider taking that into the field as well.:)

[Ken Childs]

Allen, I love the flower, the BG and most of the butterfly but I can't seem to find a crop I like with the bfly at the angle it's at right now. Do you have more canvas so you can rotate this CW a bit? Even if you don't, with that BG you should be able to easily create more canvas because I think this might look better with a squarish crop. I'd also like to see more detail in that shaded part of the wing towards the back.

And yes, the eye is black so you really can't lighten it but you could still sharpen it a bit. ;)

[Julie Kenward]

A lovely image, Allen and a nice discussion on monopods as well! I also have a monopod but admit that I rarely take it out with me. I have grown so accustomed to handholding that I just can't break myself of the habit.

You got a beautiful specimen here. I also would blend that lighter area a bit so it wasn't so pronounced next to the tail. It's nice to see the tail still intact and the eye is beautiful (although I can see where a little more sharpening would be nice.) I like the crop as presented but think the other option mentioned would be worth pursuing. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful image!

[Ken Childs]

I think tripods are most practical in a garden where you can set up and just wait.
I think you already have this figured out!

Another option when using a monopod is to shorten it and get a belt pouch or if you're cheap like me, a fanny pack will work. The bottom of the monopod is supported at or around your beltline. It's still not going to be as steady as a tripod but it's a lot more maneuverable when you're out in the bush.

[Don Lacy]

Wonderful image Allen, one of my favorite BF only suggestion would be to tone down the white on the tail.
As far as tripods go all my Dragonflies are shot from a tripod but for Butterflies I like to shot hand held with the camera in manual with the exposure set for the BG and I used diffused flash to light the BF that way I get sharpness and freedom to move a good article on this technique can be found here http://www.naturescapes.net/docs/index.php/category-photographic-technique/381-rob-servranckx
If I am using a tripod I will set up on the best flower in the patch with the cleanest BG and just wait for a subject land on it.

[Allen Sparks]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'll definitely tone down the tail and try some of the other composition ideas. This has been a nemesis species for me so I was glad to get a fairly decent shot of one finally. Thanks again...
- Allen

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Allen,
Well.....late to the party so I can't add anything......excellent advice all around. I rarely use a tripod now for macro mostly because the Mark lll does so well at ISO 800 and flash. I find many butterfly houses don't allow tripods or even monopods.....another reason to at least practice some HH'ing.
The small tweaks mentioned above will make this one really shine! Another winner Allen!

[Anita Bower]

Lovely image. Lovely colors, composition, specimens. I appreciate the discussion of monopods, etc. I've been noticing all the butterflies in my garden, and may have to try photographing some of them.

[Charles Wesley]

Allen,

Great work on this BF. I have a really nice BF garden. All my plants are in pots. My problem is the wind. Here on Anastasia Island in St Augustine there's a breeze all the time. Would appreciate any suggestions. Would love to get your results. Dealing with the same issues with DF's also.
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Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL
http://naturesphotographs.com