Stratford Butterfly Garden C&C

[err_ok]

I am really into the idea of macro shots but I haven't really plunged into it yet properly. The first lens after the kit lens for my D40 that I bought was a Micro 60mm Nikkor (the G version) it has seen a lot of use but nothing fantastic.

Last year I went to Stratford Butterfly Gardens in Warwickshire, one of the biggest/bigger butterfly gardens in the UK and managed to get some nice photos and to be fair I don't think I have produced anything of similar quality for a while, it's a great place to go and I thoroughly recommend it despite some of the little guys looking a bit battered in busy periods.

I would appreciate any C&C for the following photos, they are probably my first attempt at any sort of macro.


1.

2.

3.

Thanks for your time!

 

[DanFinePhotography]

These are amazing #2 is probably my favorite if anything i might have cropped a little tighter

 

[reznap]

The detail on the wings in #1 is really nice, but I'm not too sure on the composition and the blurry piece of fruit as a background.

#2's really nice looking and the background came out pretty. I'd crop it closer though - I'd probably cut some of the plan off on the left side, a tiny bit off the top, and a little more cut off the bottom.

#3's perfect pretty much. I might try to clone out the two small blossoms at the top right of the frame. I don't mind the shallow DOF here because one whole wing is in the focal plane and the detail on the butterfly's body is pretty impressive

 

[err_ok]

The detail on the wings in #1 is really nice, but I'm not too sure on the composition and the blurry piece of fruit as a background.

#2's really nice looking and the background came out pretty. I'd crop it closer though - I'd probably cut some of the plan off on the left side, a tiny bit off the top, and a little more cut off the bottom.

#3's perfect pretty much. I might try to clone out the two small blossoms at the top right of the frame. I don't mind the shallow DOF here because one whole wing is in the focal plane and the detail on the butterfly's body is pretty impressive

I was most disappointed with #3 personally, mainly due to the weird DOF and the fact it just seems dull colour-wise, however I imagine that could be improved with a do-over in the PP department

#1 Would look so much better if I just got the DOF correct with a smaller aperture just to get that tiny bit more in focus but hey I quite like it even if most people seem not to.

#2 Is definitely my favourite I have this photo also of the same butterfly, it fills the frame but the DOF is off and I do not like the background details anywhere near as much.



Thanks for your comments.

 

[SwissJ]

Nice.

#1- More DoF. And the right wing is too close to the right and bottom edge. I like how the antennae are silhouetted against the background.
#2- Nice separation. I like the inclusion of the branch... It gives a nice resting spot for the butterfly. But I do think it needs a closer crop.
#3- Without the cut off blossoms, it would be better. Either include the entire blossom or just ditch it al together. I don't mind the blurred wing cause it's directly in front of the focused flower petals.

 

[DanFinePhotography]

The detail on the wings in #1 is really nice, but I'm not too sure on the composition and the blurry piece of fruit as a background.

#2's really nice looking and the background came out pretty. I'd crop it closer though - I'd probably cut some of the plan off on the left side, a tiny bit off the top, and a little more cut off the bottom.

#3's perfect pretty much. I might try to clone out the two small blossoms at the top right of the frame. I don't mind the shallow DOF here because one whole wing is in the focal plane and the detail on the butterfly's body is pretty impressive

I was most disappointed with #3 personally, mainly due to the weird DOF and the fact it just seems dull colour-wise, however I imagine that could be improved with a do-over in the PP department

#1 Would look so much better if I just got the DOF correct with a smaller aperture just to get that tiny bit more in focus but hey I quite like it even if most people seem not to.

#2 Is definitely my favourite I have this photo also of the same butterfly, it fills the frame but the DOF is off and I do not like the background details anywhere near as much.



Thanks for your comments.

i like this edit :thumbup:

 

[Raian-san]

My only complaint is that the 1st one wasn't centered. Looking at the picture the butterfly look like it's about to fall out to the right of the photo. Still a great shot, I love them all, great job. My favorite is the 4th picture you posted, the blend blurred color in the background made the picture even more beautiful.

 

[err_ok]

i like this edit :thumbup:

That's a different photo

The last paragraph should have read;

#2 Is definitely my favourite.

I have this photo also of the same butterfly, it fills the frame but the DOF is off and I do not like the background details anywhere near as much.

My bad

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

:thumbup:

 

[tnvol]

Very nice!

 

[DanFinePhotography]

i like this edit :thumbup:

That's a different photo

The last paragraph should have read;

#2 Is definitely my favourite.

I have this photo also of the same butterfly, it fills the frame but the DOF is off and I do not like the background details anywhere near as much.

My bad

haha cool , well its pretty sweet :thumbup:

 

[err_ok]

Went back here today for the first time in a year. Let's see if I have improved at all... Getting the photos off of the two memory cards I filled up now. :/

 

[DirtyDFeckers]

These images are amazing. I would love to get some butterfly shots, but I never seem to find them when I'm looking:meh:

 

[err_ok]

Had a relatively disappointing time, the photos I thought at the time were going to be awesome turned out pretty bad... Damn those butterflies and their low light and pesky challenging depth of field...

Anyway photos from the day;

1.

2.

3. Ok I was expecting this one to turn out massively over exposed and i was correct...


4.

5.

6.

7. Overexposed and fudged colours


My girlfriend came with me and used my d40 and took a load of photos also, she struggled a bit with the kit lens at first due to the low light and crap ISO potential but I gave her my macro lens and she cheered up a bit. May get some of those on here also with her permission.

 

[DanFinePhotography]

Had a relatively disappointing time, the photos I thought at the time were going to be awesome turned out pretty bad... Damn those butterflies and their low light and pesky challenging depth of field...

Anyway photos from the day;

1.

2.

3. Ok I was expecting this one to turn out massively over exposed and i was correct...


4.

5.

6.

7. Overexposed and fudged colours


My girlfriend came with me and used my d40 and took a load of photos also, she struggled a bit with the kit lens at first due to the low light and crap ISO potential but I gave her my macro lens and she cheered up a bit. May get some of those on here also with her permission.

these are NICE :mrgreen: