Coneflowers and Insects
Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
On a hot Sunday afternoon, I decided it was time to practice using my 100mm macro lens, so off I went to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens in Huntsville, Alabama. There, I was treated to beautiful beds of colorful wildflowers where I captured this image.Time
I am typically a sunrise shooter, drawn to the beautiful early morning light and cooler temperatures. On this day, though, I found myself strolling through the gardens in the middle of the day. This image was made in the middle of the day, July 10, 2016 at 2:45pm EDT.Lighting
I knew I would need to make a severe compensation for the bright sunlight so I stopped my camera down two full stops. The butterfly was continuously moving in and out of the shade, and for this image I was able to capture him in a bit of shade.Equipment
The image was shot using a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens. As a relatively new photo hobbyist, I make myself move from the AV setting to manual from time to time. Settings for this shot were f/11, 1/100 sec and I did use a tripod.Inspiration
Having recently moved to the area, I needed a break from setting up my new home. I had read about the Botanical Gardens and decided that surely I could find something interesting to shoot in the middle of the afternoon. What I treat I found! While there were many beautiful gardens within the property, I was drawn to the colorful wildflowers, especially the coneflowers. As I began to compose shots, trying to capture the feeling I was experiencing in the garden, several butterflies began to light on the blooms, providing the perfect lightness to the image.Editing
With limited experience, I am learning to use Lightroom as my digital darkroom. For this image, I bumped up the clarity and vibrance a bit, then cropped from a 3:2 to a 1:1 ratio so the butterfly was prominent in the image.In my camera bag
My bag typically has my Canon 5D Mark III, to which I have recently added a battery grip for additional weight to help with stability. Though more consistent in recent months, using my tripod is not yet a hard-wired practice for me so the added weight helps. I'm still learning about lenses so I always have my Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM zoom lens and my Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L IS USM zoom lens. Often I'll add the 100mm macro mentioned previously, but have not used it much as yet. I also carry a B+W circular polarizer I can used on all lenses, and a set of Tiffen neutral density, polarizing, and UV filters. Staples in my bag include additional cards, a couple of small flashlights, rain gear for my camera and for me, insect repellant wipes, and a lens cleaning kit. I'm getting pretty strong hauling all that plus my tripod around!Feedback
While I don't think I am at a level to give others advice, I am happy to share what I think helps me the most whenever I shoot. As a beginner, my coach reminds me often to stop and ask myself what is attracting me to a potential image, and then to capture that image from several angles to find the best composition and light for me. This image, for example, was selected from about 20 I shot of the butterfly as he moved from flower to flower.
