Well done all, and congrats to the winners.
Here is my first effort at doing a critique! But I think ColinC has done a far better job.
So since I’m a bit of a numpty on the technical side of things, I have really based my critique on composition.
There are some great photographers on here, and I feel a bit of a fraud, trying to dish out advice, so please feel free to let it go in one ear and out the other!
It’s all very well criticising other peoples images out of ear shot, but writing them down for everyone to read, is not so easy!
I have tried to be short and sweet and as honest as I can and without being too rude! I can only hope none of you take offence, and please remember that this is only my opinion.
Pete Eeles – Holly Blue Larva
No faults on this superb image, nice one Pete! I was going to ask why you never saved this one for the immature stages, but I guess you have a few more lying around!
Padfield – Last of the summer wine
Would have preferred to see this one, with more space above the butterfly and also have the entire bee in the shot.
Xmilehigh - Comma
Not much to be said about this one, other than I liked it so much, you got my vote!
ColinC – summer 2008!
It’s sharp but a little dark and dreary, but seeing as the subject is so sad looking, that might have been intentional - to add to the mood?
Well done on doing something different though! And it’s the type of image which sums up the end of the season perfectly!
Shirley Roulston - Comma
Generally in critiques, people usually say, the eye and the antenna need to be pin sharp. For all we know, they could well be in this shot, but fortunatly we will never know as we are looking at it's backside.
Sylvia Godfrey – Small Copper
Ten out of ten for composition, you’ve framed it brilliantly, the eye is sharp, but the rest of the image is a just a little soft, and it’s just a tad over exposed.
Keith Woonton – Common Blue’s courting
Nice lighting on this one, perhaps a bit more of the plant showing and more space behind the male - but it would have been better if the female played ball and gave you a better angle.
Sussex Kipper - Small Tortoiseshell
A beautiful sharp Small Tort, with a great choice of angle.
Web4160
I quite like this one, just to get one sat still is an accomplishment in it’s self!
It’s a shame that the flowers a bit ghastly, but that’s just personal taste, and you can’t help where it lands!
Even though you have opted for an arty version here, you could just have well, brought it in a bit and it would still be a fine image.
Birdy43
You have a great plant, with great colours, brilliant lighting, and you had the perfect composition all there ready for the taking.
But………………..This image would have looked so much nicer, if you had captured, the two tall side flowers on the left of the shot, and have all the petals of the central flower, on show as well.
The butterfly needs sharpening, but that’s nothing major – I really hope you have cropped this and actually managed to capture all of the above; you just needed to stand off a bit and this would have been a superb arty image of a Small Copper!
Deano - Comma on morning glory
It’s a fine shot and the curly proboscis, has added some extra interest to the image. Perhaps it’s just me, but I reckon this one is a bit of an acquired taste?
A Comma on a blue flower, they just seem to clash - I suppose what I’m trying to say, is that it looks unnatural?
m_galathea - Adonis Blue (F)
Butterfly could do with turning just a fraction, but other than that a nice shot.
FISHIEE - Scarce Copper, Saas Fee, Switzerland
In a word - perfect! You got my vote.
Charles Nicol - Small Tortoiseshell in a Wheatfield
Strangely enough the wheat makes a very good backdrop. The subject is slightly soft around the head, but otherwise a nice shot.
Markulous - Perched Peacock
You and I both know that this is a superb, technically brilliant shot, and I love the way you had the decency to capture the tip of that leaf!
I expect this bit will go in one ear and out the other! - The only thing you could do to improve this already fantastic shot is to leave a slight gap to the left of the Peacock, its a little left hand side heavy, does that make sense?
Petergat - Speckled Wood on a Cape Daisy
Another strange combination, but this one works very well and the dark background is the making of this shot. Well taken Peter.
jellyang - Small Tortoiseshell
It’s positioned ok, but the image is slightly soft and dark. I wondered if it had been better, using the one flower and butterfly as the main feature only, and crop the rest out?
steve w - Comma
I think this one would be better if you cropped out, making sure you leave some space above the butterfly, add a few more berries in the frame, sharpen once, and you got yourself a great autumn image, with fantastic colours!
Mouse – Speckled Wood and Comma
I’m not sure I’m the best person to do a critique at all, let alone to someone who is partially sighted.
I guess you should be applauded for getting the butterflies in the frame to start with!
It’s always nice having two species in the same shot, the lighting is fine and the two butterflies are positioned well but they are a little soft.
Polly - Large White
Great shot Polly!
Antonym - Adonis Blue
This image would have worked better if you had blurred out the background, but as it stands, the grass makes it look messy, ruining the overall look.
Paul Kipling - Small Copper in Swaledale 14th September
The almost perfect picture!! Paul I really love this shot – the background, the plant, and butterfly all go together very well, but for me it was let down, by the Small Coppers wing slightly covering its face.
If only you had time to bend those knees!!
Denise - Speckled Wood
Only a fraction out of focus where it matters around the head, the rest is pin sharp, the colour is perfect, and a great choice of angle.
Paul Brock - Comma
I don’t think I have ever seen one with the green so prominent. Great shot Paul!
Gruditch
A well captured, Small Copper.
Ian Pratt - Red Admiral on Scabious
A pleasing shot, with a pristine subject, and nice flower heads blurred out into the background.
Just one point though – I personally feel, if you’re going to have the butterfly as a frame filler/ main central feature, it has to be pin sharp, and you really need to nail that head. You’re going tell me now that you were going for the soft dreamy look!
NickB - Brimstone
Nice one Nick!
Geniculata - red admiral at barton common new forest
The butterfly is a nice pristine example and wonderfully sharp and well placed in the frame, but I can’t help thinking that the background is making this image look over busy.
Dave McCormick - Small Tortoiseshell
You’re the reason I never used my third vote. I wanted to give you the vote, but it wasn’t quite right.
I’m not sure what’s in the background, but it’s make a very effective marbled look.
I really love this image, every thing just gels together, but it could have done with a bit more colour and a slight position change, but other than that, you created something I wish I had taken myself.
Marcinklysewicz – Small Copper
Sorry Marcin, I’m a big fan of yours, but Fishiee, nicked your vote this time round!
I absolutely loved this one, and you never fail to produce something amazing.
The colours, positioning and background are spot on, and I hope you don’t mind me saying, but the only thing I would have done, is to ‘photoshop’ out, that piece of plant, which looks like it’s propping him up under the chin. I know butterflies don’t really have chins but you know what I mean!
Eccles – Small White
Mike this is rubbish, is that the best you’ve got!!
No seriously – a fantastic shot and technically perfect.
So there you have it, sorry if I bored you all senseless!
I thought about changing it, but then remembered how Mike Young accidentally reset all the voting, and thought better of it. 
