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Archive 2014 · Orange Butterfly

  
 
jgkowalke
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Orange Butterfly


Just starting out with macro photography and cropping, and I know I should have gotten the probosis in focus as well, but not sure how I could even pick it up. It's so tiny! Well, that along with the antenna. CC and suggestions are welcome. Thank you!

http://www.jeffkowalke.photography/Indianapolis-Zoo-April-2014/i-mc23qzV/0/XL/Butterfly_1-XL.jpg



Apr 28, 2014 at 05:16 PM
12monkeys
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Orange Butterfly


I think you have to make a choice: either back off and have the whole of the butterfly on a flower, or get super close, probably with a different lens. You can't try to force the issue in photoshop.


Apr 28, 2014 at 05:26 PM
jgkowalke
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Orange Butterfly


Forcing the "issue" by cropping? Is that what you mean? Just curious. I'm assuming most of the macros on here are created with a specific lens and not by cropping the picture down? Thank you for the critique regardless. Anything helps!


Apr 28, 2014 at 05:30 PM
12monkeys
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Orange Butterfly


Well, in this instance yes but if what you posted had been sooc it would have the same inbetweeny kind of problem. If you want super close showing all the facial details, you probably need a different lens or some extension tubes (or at the least, a very tolerant butterfly). From an aesthetic point of view, given that you haven't been able to get that close, i think it would be nicer to see the whole insect in its surroundings.


Apr 28, 2014 at 05:55 PM
jgkowalke
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Orange Butterfly


Ahh so something like this?

http://www.jeffkowalke.photography/Indianapolis-Zoo-April-2014/i-sTm8Qz9/0/XL/Butterfly_6-XL.jpg

Still a tiny bit out of focus, but did some practicing at the local zoo here. The orange butterfly had a torn wing and a huge sun glare going across it (you can see a tiny bit at the bottom) hence why I went for that crop instead of the entire insect.

This picture I was able to successfully get entirely and looked well to me.



Apr 28, 2014 at 06:01 PM
KapHn8d™
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Orange Butterfly


For just starting out, you did great. Don't get all caught up in heavy critiques yet... you are on track. Almost all of macro is practice, practice, practice. Stalking techniques. Exposure techniques. Shallow DoF is just part of the territory and you have to learn to decide what you want to have in focus and what you don't. There are ways to artificially stack focal plane selections together to get an exaggerated DoF, but that is incredibly difficult for moving subjects. I like the shot overall... you did a pretty good job of a near parallel to the compound eye and thorax. I think a big key is to think about what you want to get out of the shot before you try to set it up... that way, when you are critiquing after the fact, you are watermarking against a predefined goal and can metric progress.

Keep shooting!!



Apr 28, 2014 at 09:07 PM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Orange Butterfly


12monkeys wrote:
I think you have to make a choice: either back off and have the whole of the butterfly on a flower, or get super close, probably with a different lens.


I depends whether we are talking about a single image or a series of the same indivdual or of a number of individuals.

I would probably use my Kiron 105 macro for the range of magnifications considered here. Keeping in mind that the insect may not tolerate close approach, first take a shot where it occupies a small part of the image, correctly composed. Then move in to get it larger in the frame. If that works, go in even closer. If you want eyes, proboscis and antennae, plus flufffy hair, all in focus your best bet is a profile shot.

In all of the above allow for wind and camera movement and cropping to final format, if required, all the more so as you get closer. That is, doen't frame to tightly. One thing to avoid is those format frames you can select at the time of shooting. Those are only for someone with no image processing software. I shoot RAW and found that the whole image was saved anyway but I could access only the framed portion.

I do quite a lot of moderate cropping, mostly for composition purposes. If you have to crop too severely, to get the image you want, sooner or later you are going to start seeing pixels!

Harold



Apr 29, 2014 at 02:48 AM
12monkeys
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Orange Butterfly


It wasn't supposed to be "heavy critique". I don't think there's anything wrong with cropping per se. I think your second picture could be improved by switching to a 4:3 format and cropping out all of the bright space on the right, which will also take the subject a little off-centre.

If you nail the focus (and go easy on the contrast), you'll find you can still see a lot of the "facial" details even with a full body shot.



Apr 29, 2014 at 05:13 AM
jgkowalke
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Orange Butterfly


Wow. Go to sleep and get a load of replies. You guys are great!

Will take these great comments and am reading through all of the posts here on gear, shots, etc. to start off in this realm.

I greatly appreciate the suggestions and critiques and will return with more once I establish my gear, technique, etc. a bit.

Thanks all!

-- Jeff



Apr 29, 2014 at 07:11 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Orange Butterfly


jgkowalke wrote:
will return with more once I establish my gear, technique, etc. a bit.

Thanks all!

-- Jeff


That seems to be exactly the right approach: don't try to achieve too much at once or you will have too many variables to cope with. Start wirth moderate close-ups and increase magnification as you gain ability and confidence.

It has taken me a couple of days to even sort out the controls and settings on my new camera, even though it is mainly similar to the one I have been using. Progressing with any branch of photography tends to involve a lot of re-learning and trying new options.

You might even want to try flowers and using a tripod, just to eliminate problems of maintaining focus and framing. (Remember to turn off your image stabiliy). Maybe try some flash and some daylight exposures.

Harold



Apr 29, 2014 at 10:38 AM
Lotus86
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Orange Butterfly


I agree with others. Get the full butterfly in the first image. But still not bad


Apr 30, 2014 at 09:11 AM





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