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Awards
Contest Finalist in Everything Butterflies Photo Contest
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Fisheye Camera Lens
Contest Finalist in Butterfly Wings Photo Contest
Peer Award
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Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
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TravelBugDove
August 10, 2014
Really beautiful!! Wow!! Amazing pictures!! Please keep up all you do!!
annetteringhoffcrivellaro
July 19, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
photoflare
July 19, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
photoflare
July 19, 2015
Phenomenal detail in your work. Highlights the delicacy of the species. Awesome!
slallen
July 23, 2015
So intricate and beautiful and well captured. Congratulations to you on your win!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at the nature reserve that's behind my garden. I'm very privileged to live in such a superb location and it's a haven for all sorts of wildlife, particularly birds and insects.Time
I'd just got back from work about 5pm so decided to grab a couple of uninterrupted hours on my own.Lighting
It was late afternoon summer sun so it was flickering between the trees in a gentle breeze. It gave a perfect chance to take some shady shots aswell as some with the sun as a backlight.Equipment
I'd like to say I have a wonderful array of fantastic equipment with many cameras/lenses at my disposal but I can't. What I did have was a Fuji HS10 bridge camera along with a Raynox dcr250 macro lens. I very rarely carry a tripod and so was the case with this shot. I was on my knees for this capture. I often find that insects, butterflies etc. are more often or not below waist height so I use my knee as a tripod or spend a lot of time lying down. The flip out screen of the camera is a massive bonus though as long as the hands stay steady. I also used the sunlight as a backlight rather than flash.Inspiration
I love insects and macro photography but the Little Blue is a particular favourite of mine. It's an absolute stunning little butterfly and one of them that to me has more interesting patterns on the underneath of the wings. I can spend hours watching them and waiting for them to land to capture a few shots before the fly off again. When I took this it was me on my own in a very secluded, sheltered spot so I made the most of the butterflies that were flitting about.Editing
The only post-processing was some slight exposure adjustment and a bit of cropping. I'm not a fan of too much post processing but appreciate that a little can some times go a long way.In my camera bag
Being a complete budget photographer and not having the spare cash to spend on lots of equipment, I've become a big fan of bridge cameras and have progressed on to a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. I'm still getting to grips with it but I love it so far. I also have my old trusty Fuji HS10 but that gets more use from my son now. I have a Raynox macro lens and a few different filters but apart from that I travel very light. When the right dslr comes along at the right price then I'd like to branch out, but until then it's the Panasonic.Feedback
The best advice I could give is to be patient and look below your waistline. There's a whole world of insects and bugs going on down there. Easily overlooked but there none the less. Take some time out to yourself and just indulge yourself in amongst the plants whether it be your garden, the hedgerows or just a bit of scrub. It's alive out there. Also, if you have a bit of a phobia about critters, taking lots of shots brings you closer to them and helps you to understand how important they are to us all. I often dig my guide book out of check the internet if there's something I don't recognise which is helping no end with my understanding. So go, get out there and shake the proverbial hand or hands of those magnificent bugs.