Shot while their attention was diverted

Damien · May 25, 2003

Another macro. These are very common butterflies and they had other things on their minds when I approached them. I was very pleased with the results.

I hope you like them too. Cabbage White butterflies mating.

MDowdey · May 25, 2003

very beautiful!!! how did you get the shot off without them flying away?

md

voodoocat · May 25, 2003

Great shot there!

Damien · May 25, 2003

Even with their attention on other things I must have chased them 50 yards across a field before I got that shot. When I first noticed them there was a young woman sat under a tree eating a picnic lunch and reading a book. A few minutes later after making a spectacle of myself I noticed she had left. She probably thought I was mad and dangerous. :? . The camera was hand held and I was struggling to balance but the bright light meant the shutter speed could be reasonably fast. I suppose I was a little lucky as well.

magik · May 25, 2003

That is ace....i have to ask, was it film or digital? but whatever, a very good shot........

Damien · May 26, 2003

Its digital, taken with my Olympus C3040Z on macro setting with maximum zoom. I allowed the camera to automatically focus, set the aperture and shutter speed. I framed the shot using the screen, which was not easy as it was bright sunlight. I was bending down and holding the camera almost at arms length so I think a bit of luck was involved as well. The full size image is about double that size and has even more detail. It makes an amazing 10 x 8 print.

I keep my minolta 35mm camera for emergencies and only use it occasionally as I always seem to get inferior results with that.

Thanks for the compliments.

manda · May 27, 2003

if only we could hang like that :lol:

its a fabulous shot
oh the day that i can do that hand held !

MDowdey · May 27, 2003

manda said:
if only we could hang like that

its a fabulous shot
oh the day that i can do that hand held !

HAHAHAHAHA!!! :thumbsup:

md

manda · May 28, 2003

aherm

Damien · May 28, 2003

Being a newbie I wasn't sure how to reply to your post so I left it for a day. I'm pleased to see you got the reply it deserved from MD

manda · May 29, 2003

lol
my apologies
i will behave from now on

it truly is a fabulous photograph though. im doing a course at the moment and someone asked our tutor about how to take shots of insects without them running off and he said that many are done in an almost "set up" shot, as its almost impossible to get shots like that.
that they are enclosed and bred for the purpose of taking the shots..

people disagree with that?

i may have to direct him here to your picture methinks!

Damien · May 29, 2003

I know someone online who is a butterfly fanatic. I find it hard work to get a decent shot like that but he does it all the time. His secret is that he catches them in a net and puts them in the fridge to cool for a short time. He gets them out and puts them where he wants them. By the time he has taken 2 or 3 shots they warm up and fly away. It can be done both ways but the easy way is the "cheats" way. I may try it someday but I need to get a butterfly net first. Then I need to convince my wife that its OK to put insects in the fridge. That could be more difficult than what I do now. :wink:

MDowdey · May 30, 2003

manda

we need you to be as saucy as possible. without humor we would be really mundane and boring. your posts have been great!

md

p.s. I have seen lots of insect pics that were on the "spur" of the moment, it can be done. not quite as beautiful as the butterflies, but great nonetheless.

Damien · May 30, 2003

I'm glad you cleared that up. I was not upset by the post but I was a little concerned that I might be doing the wrong thing if I answered it in the same way. Now I know its OK to include a bit of cheek in my comments :wink: