Coneflower Butterfly
Jul, 2015Views
1176
Likes
Awards
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this at the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth Texas. One of my favorite places to shoot. I used to work right down the road so loved stopping here after work every chance I got.Time
I started shooting a little before noon but it was a little before 1 pm on June 16th 2015 when I took this shot. Slightly overcast so was not too hot yet and was a good day for a walk and lots of butterflies out as it had been raining earlier and some of the flowers still had water droplets on the pedals. Hoping to get shots with water on the flowers was my main goal but the amount of butterflies very pleasantly shifted my focus.Lighting
I don't usually bring in equipment for lighting. I usually just work with the given light and this day was a bit overcast and made for subtle light that was great to for shooting. This can be challenging some days and I am still learning how to get clear shots while balancing the light. I try to keep the ISO as low as possible but this does not always work in the manner I was hoping. This shot was at ISO 200 @ 1/800 sec.Equipment
I shoot with a Canon T3i and almost always with my Sigma 18-250 lens. The Sigma lens gives me wide range to shoot without having to switch lenses constantly. Most of the shots of wildlife are done at 250mm which is 6.3 aperture. This can often cause the ISO to be bumped up a bit in low light but works great for what I need. I seldom shoot with a tripod unless low light like sunsets, or astrophotography as not everywhere I go allows tripods or to bulky when out for a hike but hope to more in the future.Inspiration
I really enjoy shooting butterflies but can be challenging to get them to stay still long enough to get a good shot. It is also a challenge trying to get as close as possible without scarring them away. Butterflies can be very frustrating as you don't have a lot of time to compose your shot and get all the settings correct before the move and you have to start all over, but is very rewarding when get the shot you imagined. Especially when someone see's your shot and can see details that they would not have seen with the naked eye.Editing
I do very little post-processing with my photo's. This photo was shot RAW so got a little adjustment in Photoshop. Usually I only adjust sharpness and slight exposure adjustments.In my camera bag
Most of the time I only carry my Canon T3i, the Sigma 18-250 and an extra battery with me at all times.One of my favorite lenses that I am still practicing with is my Rokinon 14mm. I love using it for astrophotography on a tripod but I am still not getting the shots as clear as I would like shooting freehand as it is manual focus only. When I do go out of town to shoot I pack a few extra things. I pack some extra lenses: Canon 18-55, Canon 50mm for lower light shots, a Canon 75-300 for long shots and a Quantaray 2x extender to add some variety and a Speedlite 320EX flash. Some extra accessories such as a head lamp, extra batteries, Meike MK-350DL for long outings or timelapse shots and of course some cleaning supplies.Feedback
The best advice would be to anticipate the settings you expect before approaching the butterfly. Very frustrating to have your shot planned and the sun pop out, or the subject move from shade to sunny area and have the shot overexposed or vice versa. I try to have the shutter speed on the faster side 300-800 to try to freeze any action as butterflies move so fast, the opportunity to get the shot you want might be limited to a few seconds. Also be patient, not one of my best qualities, and move slowly. Once the wildlife in the area get used to your presence they wont be as skittish and you will have more opportunity to get the shot you want.
