Jacksonville Zoo Butterfly Hollow

kgarrett11

I'm still playing with my new camera and went to the zoo this weekend. I took these in the Butterfly Hollow exhibit at the zoo. They were all taken with a NIKON D4 and a 70-200mm lens. PLEASE let me know what you think and how I can improve.

#1


#2


#3


#4

PGM

Keith, congratulations again on your new camera! I think in #1 I would have cloned out the green at the bottom and yellow on the side as distractions, and maybe cropped a bit tighter. In #2 and #4 you perfectly captured the beautiful wings! I also might have cropped those a bit tighter. I love #3 for the nice angle on the butterfly. They are beautiful photos as they are, and my comments just reflect personal taste. Best, Pam

kgarrett11

Thanks Pam, I will try cropping a little more and see what I think. If they work out I will post them here and see what you think. That is the exact C&C that I always want from this forum but seldom get.

puzzledpaul

Certainly got some nice kit

I'd generally agree with Pam ... but have other comments.

1. getting rid of the yellow / green bits would be a start ... but, for me, it'd be better if the BF was facing towards cam, rather than a rear quarter shot.
Also, red tends to pull the eye a lot and thus ends up competing with the main subject.

2. If wanting to keep the flowers etc in the LH half of frame, thus retaining a more 'environment' shot than a close-up one, things generally look better with the subject looking into the frame / negative space etc ... rather than looking out of frame.
Cropping this (very) agressively just to the left of the BF, and just above the yellow in bottom RH corner of frame ... thus ending up with a portrait shot, flower stem coming out of bottom LH corner, this'd be less busy.

3. Nice shot ... but, for me, the red bg above the BF is again a pull, and this isn't easy to remove by cropping without chopping off the top of the flower. 'Dealing' with this red bg above the BF and cropping just above the lower bit of red would be worth investigating.
I also find the bit of flower @ 12 o'clock, protruding above the main mass, 'annoying' because of the way it alters the shape of the flower.

4. This has the best potential - for me ... cropped as 2 ... ie portrait crop, remove LH side bg just to left of BF, and just above yellow in lower RH corner (or clone out instead for a 2:3 aspect ratio.
BF wings position better than 2, looking into neg space, flower stem coming from lower LH corner(ish).
Four as it stands would've been better if BF looking towards LH side, but because of the fairly well defined edges / shapes of the LHS green bg, they'd still be an issue.

All most definitely in my very subjective opinion, of course ... and totally depends on what sort of shot you're after.

hth pp

kgarrett11

Thanks for your suggestions and I'm going to try them.