Canon 300D + 70-210mm + 12mm ext tubes, handheld
f8.0 1/200s ISO400
Chequered Skippers
Chequered Skippers
I found these two in Glasdrum Wood on a rainy day in June. This is one of my favourite photos because of all the effort it took to take it. I also like that the first butterfly is tack sharp, the second butterfly is showing the underwings and that they're both feeding. What do you think? All feedback greatly appreciated.
Canon 300D + 70-210mm + 12mm ext tubes, handheld
f8.0 1/200s ISO400
Canon 300D + 70-210mm + 12mm ext tubes, handheld
f8.0 1/200s ISO400
-
Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6779
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Nice shot
I'd like to say that your photo is awful because this is the only British species I've yet to see 
Unfortunately, I can't. I think the key elements of making sure that the subject's eye is sharp, and the overall composition is good, are both there. And I like the "atmospheric" feeling you get of having the second Chequered Skipper in the background.
If you want constructive criticism (and if you don't then don't post your photos ), then I'd say a larger depth of field would have helped.
And - please contribute this to the UK Butterflies website. We need more shots like this! Just email me the original. Thanks Chris.
Cheers,
- Pete
Unfortunately, I can't. I think the key elements of making sure that the subject's eye is sharp, and the overall composition is good, are both there. And I like the "atmospheric" feeling you get of having the second Chequered Skipper in the background.
If you want constructive criticism (and if you don't then don't post your photos
), then I'd say a larger depth of field would have helped.And - please contribute this to the UK Butterflies website. We need more shots like this! Just email me the original. Thanks Chris.
Cheers,
- Pete
-
nick sampford
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:58 pm
- Location: thundridge herts
- Contact:
the trouble with trying to get two subjects in the picture, is you end up compromising where i feel if you had consentrated on the closest one you would of got a better result.
also if you under exposed it you could of brought the picture up in levels [ i use paint shop pro ] this would of stoped the cream burning out.
however if you are going to attempt to photograpy both subjects then you must increse the depth of field then both butterflies will be in focus you might need to use a fill in flash to get the right depth of field/shutter speed ratio correct.
still a nice photo i know pete would of liked to see them
hi pete nice forum matey
also if you under exposed it you could of brought the picture up in levels [ i use paint shop pro ] this would of stoped the cream burning out.
however if you are going to attempt to photograpy both subjects then you must increse the depth of field then both butterflies will be in focus you might need to use a fill in flash to get the right depth of field/shutter speed ratio correct.
still a nice photo i know pete would of liked to see them
hi pete nice forum matey
-
Adrian Hoskins
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:09 pm
- Location: Havant, Hampshire
- Contact:
Nice composition, poor focus
Your shot shows interesting composition, and has the added value of depicting underside and upperside in the same picture. Not only that, but it has a feeling of activity - so many butterfly shots fail because the insect looks too posed and static. Your shot has energy.
The shot could have been improved greatly to simply angling the camera better - a viewpoint slightly to the right would have enabled both insects to be in the plane of focus. The pic looks to be about half a stop over-exposed. If you shoot this sort of subject using ambient light, you really need to use an ISO of about 200, which will give you a smaller aperture and increased depth of field. Film users can uprate Provia to 200 or 400 and get it push processed - this gives sharper pics, finer grain, and better colour compared to using Provia 400 or any of the Sensia range. Digital users should set the ISO manually to 200.
Another way to get sharper photos, and increased depth of field, is to use flash. Get a cheap manual flash and mount it on a bracket at 45 degrees to the side and 45 degrees above the camera. This will give good modelling and bring out the textures. The only problem with flash is that the background can go too dark due to flash fall-off. This can counteracted quite easily by metering manually, and using a shutter speed/aperture combination that is correct for flash, but deliberately under-exposes the background by about 2 stops - any more and you risk black backgrounds, any less and you risk "ghost" images.
Adrian Hoskins
The shot could have been improved greatly to simply angling the camera better - a viewpoint slightly to the right would have enabled both insects to be in the plane of focus. The pic looks to be about half a stop over-exposed. If you shoot this sort of subject using ambient light, you really need to use an ISO of about 200, which will give you a smaller aperture and increased depth of field. Film users can uprate Provia to 200 or 400 and get it push processed - this gives sharper pics, finer grain, and better colour compared to using Provia 400 or any of the Sensia range. Digital users should set the ISO manually to 200.
Another way to get sharper photos, and increased depth of field, is to use flash. Get a cheap manual flash and mount it on a bracket at 45 degrees to the side and 45 degrees above the camera. This will give good modelling and bring out the textures. The only problem with flash is that the background can go too dark due to flash fall-off. This can counteracted quite easily by metering manually, and using a shutter speed/aperture combination that is correct for flash, but deliberately under-exposes the background by about 2 stops - any more and you risk black backgrounds, any less and you risk "ghost" images.
Adrian Hoskins