Butterfly Critique Needed!

[Flying Panda]

I don’t seem to be able to get butterfly images quite right. These two images are a good example. There is “something” that is just not right – focus? clarity? contrast? technique? Images were taken using a Nikon D500 shot through a Sigma 150-600mm lens. (… spur of the moment opportunity. These butterflies where I live don’t seem to sit still too long. They land on the ground for some water or a taste of some chicken poop! )

I was using manual exposure mode at a distance of about ten feet – handheld. (the ISO was set on auto – image #2 is high because a cloud had just passed over creating a sight overcast but moved away before I pressed the shutter.) White Balance was set on auto.

Editing was done in Lightroom 6 with the usual basic adjustments. (spec images below) I gave both images some vignetting trying to tone down the sun’s brightness from the ground. Exposure on #1 was raised just a little to compensate for the strong contrast level given to both images in Tone Curve.

#1

#2

Here are the specs:

#1

#2

Thanks for any feedback.

JT

 

[Jeff G]

Does lightroom have a dodge tool like photoshop?

 

[Flying Panda]

Does lightroom have a dodge tool like photoshop?

The version of Lightroom I use is 6.9 - the last version that Adobe developed in which the user didn't need an internet connection to utilize. My internet connection is not fast enough for any higher version, besides I don't like the "monthly subscription" concept. Lightroom 6.9 has a tool refered to as an Adjustment Brush which can applyed much like a burn/dodge tool although it's algorithms are quite old. I've used this tool in Lightroom before to lighten some areas of an image however, it sometimes has a tendency to create an excessive amount of noise. What was your train of thought in asking?

 

[Jeff G]

I've never used lightroom so I didn't know what it could or couldn't do. Was just wondering if you could use the dodge tool to bring up some of the dark areas or maybe lighten the gamma, again I use photoshop so I have no idea what lightroom can do.

I may have been mostly thinking out loud and might not have been the best person to respond to your question....DOH!