Haystack butterflies part five

Dalantech

Hopefully you're not getting tired of these

Excellent conditions today -until a thunderstorm forced me to pack it in.

I don't crop, so if two shots look similar it's because I pressed my luck and got closer.







One of the few insects that you can shoot from behind and still get a decent shot.













Now for the tech stuff: All images taken in aperture priority F5.6 and ISO 200. Xti set to -1/3 EV. All images between 1/3 and 1/2 life size (the front of the lens is no more than 8 inches from the butterfly). No flash and manual focus (the light form the flash and the vibration form the focusing motor spooks them). Sunlight filtered through light, high altitude clouds combined with a small aperture causes the colors to "pop" and paints the background. Very minimal post processing -the light and the aperture does all of the work. Most of the vertical shots I took with the camera held horizontal, but I knew I would turn them 90 degrees on the computer so I composed them accordingly.

Tips on shooting wild butterflies here: http://nocroppingzone.blogspot.com/2007/05/shooting-butterflies.html

My stalking skills are getting so good I could be behind you right now... :rofl

Skippy

Dalantech wrote:

Hopefully you're not getting tired of these
Excellent conditions today -until a thunderstorm forced me to pack it in.
I don't crop, so if two shots look similar it's because I pressed my luck and got closer.
One of the few insects that you can shoot from behind and still get a decent shot.

Tips on shooting wild butterflies here: http://nocroppingzone.blogspot.com/2007/05/shooting-butterflies.html

My stalking skills are getting so good I could be behind you right now...

No doubt about it those little Blue ones are cute ... Skippy
.

tlee

I thought I heard someone breathing behind me.....

Thanks for the tech info! Great images! I am very jealous!!

Dalantech

Skippy wrote:

No doubt about it those little Blue ones are cute ... Skippy
.

Thanks Skippy!

Dalantech

tlee wrote:

I thought I heard someone breathing behind me.....

Thanks for the tech info! Great images! I am very jealous!!

Do I sound like Darth Vader?!

It's all seasonal work tlee -this time of year the weather makes those photos possible. In another month I probably won't bother shooting them since the light will be too harsh.

Lord Vetinari

Another beautiful natural light series - all lovely light and composition
Brian V.

Dalantech

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Another beautiful natural light series - all lovely light and composition
Brian V.

Thanks Brian! I spent most of last summer in shutter priority and the flash set to -2 FEC, so this style of shooting isn't new to me. I'm just getting lucky with the light and taking advantage of it

Awais Yaqub

Great work my friend ! lovely colors

Dalantech

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Great work my friend ! lovely colors

Thanks Awais!