My summer 2019 project: Butterflies (part 1)

[gk fotografie]

In the past few weeks I've been busy with my 2019 summer project 'Butterflies' for which I've made a few visits to 3 Zoos that have a so-called butterfly garden: Artis Zoo in Amsterdam, Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam and Antwerp Zoo in Belgium. Physically it wasn't yet possible for me to enjoy an intensive holiday this year, so this project really gave me a lot of pleasure and it made me step out of my "comfort zone"...plus it already brought a new theme for the summer of 2020.

In all the butterfly gardens, with a fairly high temperature and humidity, you just walk among the butterflies and it therefore seems "very simple" to be able to photograph these animals, but nothing could be further from the truth! The butterflies fly continuously through the often high space and do not sit quietly on a leaf or flower until you have taken a picture. An additional problem is that almost all butterflies, especially the larger ones, keep the wings closed when they're sitting on a flower or leaf or...the wings contract when you take a photo, resulting in completely OOF photos.

Working with a tripod or even a monopod is absolutely impossible, not only because of the large amount of visitors, but also because you just don't know where exactly a butterfly will sit on a leaf or flower. I think for every photographer a major disadvantage is also that it's not allowed to use flashlights, probably not for the behaviour of the butterflies, but to prevent dozens of visitors from being blinded by flash lights.

Part 2 of my summer 2019 project can be found here: BUTTERFLIES

Gerard

View attachment 178014
View attachment 178010
View attachment 178011
View attachment 178012
View attachment 178013
View attachment 178015
View attachment 178016
View attachment 178017
View attachment 178018

You might think: where there are butterflies there must be caterpillars, but you can hardly find them in all three Zoos! A volunteer at Artis Zoo pointed to these 2 caterpillars, but couldn't immediately tell which species of butterfly would eventually result from it.

View attachment 178019
View attachment 178020

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

I have been to one butterfly garden, and the struggles a photographer has in them is exactly as you describe. Today, everyone takes photos with their phones, so almost 100% of the adult visitors are trying to get photos. There is a huge amount of vegetation and minimal space for things such as tripods. You have some very beautiful examples of what will be seen there. Congrats on great photos from a trying location!

 

[Flying Panda]

Great set! Nice captures!

 

[Jeff15]

Very good shooting.....

 

[CherylL]

Great set!

 

[SquarePeg]

These are great! Nice idea for a low stress project. What lens did you use? I’ve been a few times to a butterfly garden near us. After the first visit I was better prepared! Light clothing due to how hot it is in there. Long lens, a few inches dof and a fast shutter speed plus auto ISO. I found my Nikon 105mm was perfect for this subject in that type of environment. Go EARLY to avoid the crowds - call and see if they will let you in early. The one near us actually allows photographers to enter an hour before opening to the public.

 

[oldhippy]

Beautiful work

 

[K9Kirk]

Nice set! There's something about #5 so #5 it is!

 

[gk fotografie]

Very good shooting.....

Thank you!

These are great! Nice idea for a low stress project. What lens did you use? I’ve been a few times to a butterfly garden near us. After the first visit I was better prepared! Light clothing due to how hot it is in there. Long lens, a few inches dof and a fast shutter speed plus auto ISO. I found my Nikon 105mm was perfect for this subject in that type of environment. Go EARLY to avoid the crowds - call and see if they will let you in early. The one near us actually allows photographers to enter an hour before opening to the public.

Thank you, only as a member of Blijdorp Zoo you can enter an hour earlier, but I didn't want to pay around $100 extra for that privilege. I mainly used (18-55mm lens) 55mm + macro. Last year I tried the OM Zuiko 100mm (manual focus) on butterflies, but that's a complete disaster. Currently I'm reviewing my equipment, actually don't know if I'll stay with Fuji cameras in future or maybe combine Fuji with a speed booster + Canon lenses. The Fuji camera that I used had quite a few cures during and after use in the butterfly gardens, looks like it's indeed ruined by the high humidity. I think it's nice to give yourself assignments in this way (and certainly in my case after 50 years of photography and 1.5 million+ photos in 30 years of professional work), because I notice that not so much the inspiration is over, but surely the enthusiasm.

Beautiful work

Thank you, Sir

Nice set! There's something about #5 so #5 it is!

Thank you very much.

 

[smoke665]

Having been to both large and small butterfly gardens around the country, I understand the difficulties you encountered. Looks like you overcame them quite well, nice set.