Goldie M

[Padfield]

I agree with you, Goldie - removing the noise has smoothed out the texture of the butterfly too. It looks more natural in your first picture.

If that is a small crop from a much larger picture that amount of noise might be unavoidable - maybe you just need to get closer or get a bigger lens. If not, I'm sure one of the photographers in these forums will be able to suggest ways of getting less noise (using a lower ISO, perhaps?). It's a lovely butterfly in a lovely position and just a shame its either roughened up with noise or polished too smooth!

Guy

[NickMorgan]

Yes, my vote goes to the original picture. Maybe you should crop it slightly less to help smooth it out slightly.

[David M]

Irrespective of the respective merits of the two images, the butterfly depicted has got a very attractive arc of white spots.

[Wurzel]

David is right about the spots - is this ab.punctata? Either way I prefer the first image as it shows the scales nicely .

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Guy's glad you agree. I don't have a camera you can put a lens onto Guy it's a Nikon Coolpix P90, I wish I did, I got this one bought for me and has a beginner it's been ok for me, I feel now though that I'd like to try one that you can change the lens because I've watched people using them and looked at their shots and they seem far superior to mine.
I have taken bigger shots Nick and then cut them down to get a closer picture could this be where I'm going wrong?
I don't know if the Butterfly is a ab. punctata are not David and Wurzal, you know me and my knowledge of Butterflies I usually wait until somebody tells me I have got a side view of it though so what do think Goldie

[MikeOxon]

I don't know if the Butterfly is a ab. punctata are not

I tend to think that the fine white line is 'normal' - after all it is called a 'hairstreak' - and those without the spots are ab. caecus. I've noticed that unspotted forms, however, seem more frequent nowadays, especially in the South. Perhaps it is related to temperature at the chrysalis stage?

'Neat Image' usually works better than this! Have you made and stored profiles for your camera at various ISO settings? It doesn't work too well if you have already done some processing of the image (e.g. re-sizing) before using Neat Image. I always find GH rather difficult to photograph well, as the iridescence of the colour tends to confuse most cameras.

It's always good to keep originals. I always file a set of photos direct from the camera and then work on copies. Storage is cheap enough nowadays not to risk upsets.

Judging by images on this site, many people do very well with 'bridge' cameras, especially the Lumix FZ series. The quality of these cameras has greatly improved in recent years and, as I get older, I begin to wonder why I lug around the weight of my DSLR, except when really necessary for stuff like birds in flight. I recently replaced my older Lumix TZ5 with a TZ25 and the leap in image quality is remarkable. It's 'intelligent auto' feature also works remarkably well - cameras with loads of settings (like most DSLRs) are great, providing you remember to choose the right settings for the current job. I recently ruined some shots, because I had left the settings where they had been for some copying work that I had done earlier! Camera makers need to look very hard at the simple user interface provided by the iPhone.

Mike

[Pete Eeles]

I don't know if the Butterfly is a ab. punctata are not David and Wurzal, you know me and my knowledge of Butterflies I usually wait until somebody tells me I have got a side view of it though so what do think Goldie

Definitely ab. punctata:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/aberrati ... ecies=rubi

Cheers,

- Pete

[Goldie M]

Thanks Pete for the info, I'll be going up to GB again as soon as the weather takes up, maybe I'll get a plain one without the spots next time. I didn't realize there were so many different kinds I'm just happy I got one at last
Hi! Mike, what i usually do I must admit is make copies on my camera, (close ups) as well as the originals then put them all on computer into Microsoft Office Manager, then I cut them to the size I want if they look ok I don't play around with them ,just lately though they just don't seem sharp and when I've tried" Neat Image "it's tended to blur them slightly.
I've also put different ISO settings into my camera , and still I get this noise and slight blur instead of sharpness. I will try the other settings I've installed trouble is like you say the Hair Streak although it didn't move blended in too much with the green around it. I'll try some thing else when I go up again and see if that works. I must admit i'm just so pleased to have seen one at last
It's funny you should ask if I'd saved some originals I did and put them into neat image before I reduced their size the picture i've put in now is one of them it still seems to miss the mark a bit Goldie

[David M]

Must admit, most of the Greenstreaks I encounter HAVE got some white markings, but generally nothing like as extensive as the one you depicted.

I'd be delighted to find one such as that and will be endeavouring to do just that if ever this ridiculously cold weather would finally pack up and leave.

[Goldie M]

I wish it would go as well David although yesterday morning was really nice here,( the calm before the storm ) Any way I went to Hall-Lee-Brook near where I live.( My Waste Land) Last year I saw Orange Tips there .It was early about 9.35 am, perfect conditions for Butterflies and to my delight I saw them has soon as I opened the gate, I took some hurried Shots has they never seemed to stop moving
We moved after about an hour my husband wanted to check the caravan out (no punctures etc) then we moved on to Spring Wood Walley and right a way I saw a female OT, between the two places I got some unusual shots not ones to put in any gallery but quite fun all the same Goldie

[Goldie M]

I forgot to add a shot of Spring Wood taken yesterday to my posting . The wood was lovely with tall Bluebells and the smell of Garlic Flowers was quite heady.
We had a picnic there before we left, and sorting through my photo's later I found this one of an Orange Tip which really summed up the day together with the Green Veined White I saw, both Butterflies signify Spring for me , ( even though today was a wash out) The photo's make me feel better Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went up to Gaits Barrow last Sunday, it was cool at first but later the Sun came out and so did the Duke At last! We counted 5 and were told one was seen the day before so that's great news. Some one has also seen a Pearl Bordered Fritillary at Warton Craig so if the Sun comes out I'll pop up there this weekend and see if I can get some shot's.
I've been busy trying to sort my garden out. All the seeds I planted have come through and I've had to do some replanting with them, Petunia's every where now
I did get back to Hall-Lee- Brook but didn't find any O Tipp's, but did take a shot of lots of GVW and what I think is a Large White, going off the markings. I also got a pic of what I think is a Small White, or, it could be a Male LW although it did seem a bit on the Small side. (I still get mixed up with these BF)
Any way the Butterflies I thought were lost have at last come out.
There were signs every where at GB asking people to contact the wardens if any Dukes were seen, so the people up there will be pleased now they've been spotted, Let's hope the PB or out this weekend.
Goldie

[Goldie M]

I went up to Gaits Barrow again Sunday the 26th and good news the Pearl BF had arrived, not many yet, I counted three or four but it's a start. Also there, were Brimstones, a couple of Peacock BF, Green Veined Whites, Large and Small Whites and of course DOB, now the signs read (Look out there's a Duke about)
I went to Warton Craig on the way home and also saw a Dingy Skipper and a Small Heath, all in all I had a great day out and the weather was superb Goldie

[Wurzel]

Lovely shot of the Duke Goldie Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with one soon

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzal, I hope you do.
The weather's not been good here for the last couple of days, I thought today looked a bit brighter but we seem to have got the clouds again.
I want to try and go up to Gaits Barrow again next week some time. June last year I saw the Alba SPB at the beginning of June, I know it's a long shot but you never know, nothing ventured nothing gained. Goldie
I forgot to add some photo's I took in my Garden. I planted some Wall flowers this Spring and got rewarded on Sunday when this little Butterfly appeared Goldie e:D

[Goldie M]

On the 3rd of June I went to Southport Dunes, I hoped the Common Blues would be out . After Quite a search ,( we nearly gave up,) I found about four or five and had great trouble trying to get a shot, they were so quick.
The vegetation there was very poor, the cold Spring we had certainly did some damage, the few flowers there were in sheltered
parts of the Dunes, this is where I found this Female CB. She looks different having seemingly four spots, two on the upper and two on the lower wings, any way I was just pleased to finally get a shot when this Male CB landed just in front of me. So I managed M/F Butterflies. Then I saw this huge Caterpillar has to be a moth.

On the 4th of June I went back up to Gaits Barrow, I thought the Small PBF may be out has they were last year at this time . No luck there, but I did get a shot of a PBF not too good I'm afraid I was too far a way . I also saw Brimstones, Dingy Skippers, and another Duke or two, so it wasn't a wasted journey. I think I enjoyed taking a photo of the Damsal Fly best ( He didn't move) Goldie

[Wurzel]

Interesting shot of the female Blue Goldie, it must have been around for some time to have gotten that faded

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I can't understand that Wurzal, has the the male CB's were all in peak condition, also there was so few of them. She must have come out very soon, I'd not noticed the spots on the female's before this, may be I didn't look close enough. Goldie

[Goldie M]

Hi! everybody , I've just been looking at your Photo's and they all look superb, can't single anybody out so thought I'd just praise you all

Looks like my luck's run out for a few day's though , we've had to cancel our caravan holiday because I've done my back in. Not too worry , I'd just bought an SLR Camera as well which is slightly annoying, My husband said I could get used to it by taking shots in the garden

The Camera is a Canon EOS 1100, I thought I'd take advantage of the reduced price. The photo's I have taken so far of Flower's etc have been great.

It has a creative section which blur's the back ground that should be good for taking close ups of BF, not got round to that yet though, it looks like I might need a Micro lens for close ups, any one know if this is a must or can I get a way with doing without one for a while? (my husband said he'd make it a Christmas present) (I don't think he realizes what they cost) Goldie

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Goldie

Keep up with the photos.

I think the caterpillar is a Fox Moth caterpillar and your Damselfly is a female Large Red Damselfly. The males are all red along the body with some black at the end of the tail.

With regard to your Canon DSLR I would stick with the standard lens that came with it until you get used to using it then you can get a macro lens on which their have been many discussions on this forum. I've taken some decent shots of flies in the garden with the 18-55mm lens that came with my Canon 450D.

Many years ago I had a Russian Zenit B film camera with only a standard 50mm lens and extension tubes that allow the lens to focus closer to the insect subjects. These can be bought nowadays and used with a standard lens to allow you closer to the subject. The only problem is that it easier to scare the butterflies away using this method.

Just have fun and enjoy the camera.