Swallowtail drops by for a visit July 2016
Finally, one of these beauties landed right in front of me. I have been waiting for an entire year for another crack at this kind of shot. Perseverance does pay...
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Finally, one of these beauties landed right in front of me. I have been waiting for an entire year for another crack at this kind of shot. Perseverance does pay off - mind everyone else outside with me were told "DON'T MOVE, DON'T MAKE A SOUND"...
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Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Back in 2016 I was on a serious hunt for the perfect butterfly shot. My camera went with me wherever I went just in case. The swallowtails would "tease" and then off they would go. Then I got lucky and a gorgeous swallowtail landed on a large hydrangea flower in the garden right in front of me. Those outside enjoying the day with me were ordered to not speak and not to move as I adjusted as best I could and focused to get this shot. Once you get one you don't want to stop, so I am still trying to capture any and all butterflies in my little spot in the world.Time
It was midday - 11:30 am, nice and warm outside with no breeze and my camera sitting right next to me. There are always a few swallowtail butterflies in the area on the hunt for nectar and the garden had lots of roses, sweet pea blooms and hydrangea to attract a multitude of insects. Luckily for me, the swallowtails didn't mind sharing the garden with us and we were treated to a wonderful visit from a spectacular butterfly.Lighting
I would love to be able to write that this shot was thought out and planned but it wasn't, it was a stroke of good luck in my estimation. The sun was high overhead but the pine trees provided lovely shade.for the garden. I had good light so I could use a low ISO setting, decent shutter speed and an small aperture.Equipment
I took this shot using my Nikon D5200 and my Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G prime lens which is a great lens. I didn't use a tripod or monopod for this nor was a flash required.Inspiration
I do have a "bucket list" of photography subjects and spectacular species of butterfly happen to be on that list. This doesn't mean I stop there though, the more image captures I can get the happier I am. I really love getting out to enjoy nature and capturing what I see. The older I get the more appreciative I become about the world we all live in. Life can be fragile just like a butterfly so I want to try and capture as much as I can while I can.Editing
The only post processing I did was to crop the image to better frame the butterfly.In my camera bag
I always have both my Nikon D750 and D5200, Nikkor 85 mm f/1.8G prime and Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 prime lenses, Nikkor 10-24 mm f/3.5- 4.5G ED DX lens and finally the Nikkor 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. I also bring a Manfrotto 290 tripod and a Manfrotto Element monopod which comes in handy when using the 200-500mm lens. Let's also not forget extra batteries because you just never know.Feedback
I'm probably going to sound like a broken record but sometimes it is about being in the right spot at the right time. I would not have predicted this shot but I was ready for it when the moment arrived. The other tidbits of advice I have are to have patience, appropriate clothing for a change in the weather, a somewhat comfy portable chair or stool depending on what the subject of the photograph is, a good supply of water and/or hot beverage and a few spare batteries. I also have a plastic camera weather protector in my camera bag if and when the weather changes or I am out on a windy day by the ocean because salt spray is never good for any electronics. The only other bit of advice I have is to not be afraid to use a tripod or monopod especially if it is going to be a long day and you are using a using a big lens on your camera. Over time your arms can get tired holding the camera and lens so having a tripod or monopod helps take some of the load over the course of your day. Last little tidbit, have fun!
