Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)

[Bill Dix]

D90; 18-200 VR @ 200mm. ISO 1600. f/7.1 @ 1/4000s. Aperture priority, matrix metering @ -1.7 EV. Adjusted temp. to 4450 in RAW Capture. HH. 90% of FF.

Tired of standing for hours in the frigid wind waiting for that merganser to fly across your lens? Try the steam-bath atmosphere of the Butterfly Conservatory at the American Museum of Natural History for a change of pace. This guy was very difficult to capture in a perched pose with wings open - he was only like this for an instant - , and I couldn't get him facing me, much less in flight. Cloned out a bit of OOF vegetation. Wished I had brought the 80-400 and Ext. tubes, and that the right wing weren't soft. Comments always appreciated.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Bill I know how difficult it is to shoot in those places, this is very good. Love the dark bg and how well the Bfly stands out !!

I like the use of high ISO but would have like seeing a smaller aperture rather than the high shutter speed. As presented looks great and would be proud of this one !!!

[Bill Dix]

Hi Bill I know how difficult it is to shoot in those places, this is very good. Love the dark bg and how well the Bfly stands out !!

I like the use of high ISO but would have like seeing a smaller aperture rather than the high shutter speed. As presented looks great and would be proud of this one !!!

Thanks Alfred. Agree a smaller aperture would have been good here. I was actually trying to catch him in flight, and struggling with the SS, but I happened to be in the right spot when he landed on a leaf under a bright light, and caught him just before he folded his wings.

[Desmond Chan]

Beautiful colors and details, Bill !

[Oscar Zangroniz]

I like your composition and the all black bg makes it stand out.
Congrats

[Lance Peters]

Los to like here Bill - did well under difficult conditions.
Good show :)

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Beautiful colors and well done under the conditions.

[Gary Esman]

Excellent! Fred Meijer Gardens up here bring them in once in a year in a couple of months, looking forward to going. Very nicely done!

[Gus Cobos]

Well done Bill,
I like it as presented...its well seen. I like the vibrant colors and the diagonal composition...good show...:cool: