Common blue

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hand held Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Shooting Mode Shutter-Priority AE
Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/400
Av(Aperture Value) 8.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation -1/3
ISO Speed 320
Auto ISO Speed OFF
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
Flash Off

This used to be one of the most common butterflies in the fields around the back of my house. This specimen is one of the very few I have seen this year, I have seen less than five,it is also the only one I have managed to photograph, it was 23rd August and I have not seen any since.

[David Cowling]

Exposure looks to be spot on. Lovely detail in the wings - even showing the lines of the wing folds. Nicely diffused background and lovely thistle head for it to feed on. Well done. Agree about the scarcity of this species; I saw a couple on some chalk downland in Bedfordshire early on in the summer, but have not had a sight of one in Norfolk this year.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Jon, nice details on the head and body including those tiny hairs. Appealing BG - works to make a fine image.
Allen

[Jerry van Dijk]

Very well captured Jon! It's very hard to get a shot of this species without overexposing the white ends of the wings, but you did great here. I do think a little more DOF to get the top of the wing completely in focus would take this over the top. The butterfly seems a bit oversharpened to my eye, but that's an easy fix.