Photo taking butterfly frm msn..
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I started photography in December 2003 after buying myself a Canon 300D. In January 2004, I started shooting macros after seeing some butterfly shots in a local forum.
The bad news is, butterfly is a difficult subject to shoot! I didn’t know that when I started and only got a handful of shots after spending 2 hours looking for them and chasing them all over a lallang patch. the size of a small room. And I got the shots only because they were tired and looking for a perch to stay the night.
The Equipments
I started with the Canon 300D, an EF 75-300mm IS lens, a 25mm Extension Tube, an a Sigma 500 DG ST flash unit. Last November, I bought a 20D and a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 and had been using these since then.
Many Point & Shoot cameras have optional adaptors that let them fix close up filters and lens for macro work. You will need a camera that can zoom to at least 200mm at 35mm equivalent range. Nowadays, many newer P & S cameras can zoom to 300mm or more, some with image stabilizer to boot!
The Approach
Once I spotted a butterfly, I will stand still and observe it. Some are just passing by and you are not going to have a chance to shoot it. Some will stop on a leave to rest, to lay eggs, or on some flowers or on the ground to feed. These will stay within the immediate vicinity if spooked, if you are patient, they will usually return.
When a butterfly landed, I will usually let it settle down before I approach it. This is the moment when its most jittery. At this time, I will consider my approach. Is there any tree branches I can use to cover my approach? Do I have to crouch or waddle like a duck during my approach? Which is the best direction to approach it to get a good sideway shot?
After considering all these, I'll approach it SLOWLY & STEADILY until I get within working range. Then I'll sight it with my camera, do I need to change direction? If I do, its best to do it when I'm still too far away to spook it. When I get my direction right, I'll check my camera setting after taking the lighting condition into account. Then I take a test shot at maximum range. After checking the shot and making any adjustment to my setting, I'll begin my final approach, very SLOWLY with my eye checking the viewfinder every now and then.
When I get to about 4-5ft, I started shooting at maximum zoom, making adjustments to my camera setting when necessary. And as I shoot, I keep moving forward ever so SLOWLY after every couple of shot.
When I'm nearly enough for the butterfly to fill one third of the frame, I started thinking of composition and background. With the camera focused on the butterfly, I'd vary my angle and shooting level and search for a nice smooth background to frame the butterfly off-centre. At that range, a slight shift in shooting angle or level can change the background dramatically. I'll keep shooting with slight changes in background, seeking the perfect shot. This continue until I'm satisfied that I get some good shots, or until the butterfly gets enough of me, usually the latter LOL.
But what if they fly away before you even get to take a shot? I got news for you, it happen all the time. Even among the same specie, one may scoot at the slightest movement, another may let you get so close you can see every detail with your unaided eyes. So the disappointment is part and parcel of the game. But as you keep on trying and learning to approach, you'll find that it gets easier and easier. Just dont expect it to stay still like a landscape or smile like a bride, aint gonna be that easy, never happened.
Camera Settings.
Shooting condition varies from shot to shot. I always check and change my settings when necessary, if I remember LOL.
Aperture - I usually start with an aperture of f/8-f/11 when I'm within shooting range. But because a sideway butterfly's profile is very thin, I usually open it as wide as I can during the final shoot, keeping in mind the need to keep the whole butterfly and especially the eye as sharp as possible.
ISO - This depend on the camera's ability to handle noise. I usually shoot at ISO 400 - 800 on my 300D. With the 20D, I uses ISO 1600 on occasions when lighting is really bad. Of course, if I am shooting under bright sunlight, it'll be ISO 100, no brainer this.
Shutter Speed - I usually shoot at 1/250s with flash to minimise camera shake or movement caused by the wind.
Flash - I use a Sigma 500 DG ST with omnibounce diffuser tilted at 45 degree. Flash setting is usually -1/3 to -1.0. This is so I dont blow out any bright details on the butterfly's wings.
Focusing - I usually use manual focus with the EF 75-300mm as its auto-focus is useless in low light situation. With the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8, I uses auto-focus most of the time unless the light is real bad.
Cropping - Unless you can get near enough to fill the frame with the butterfly, it is inevitable that you have to crop the shot. This is where the importance of getting a sharp shot show its true value.
There are times when a butterfly just flew in and hop from flower to flower, leaving me no time to do anything else but shoot. Such times I just concentrate on focusing on the eyes and shooting, hoping to get some worthwhile shots
http://groups.msn.com/PhotoGraphics/howtophotographbutterflies.msnw
Other links : http://groups.msn.com/PhotoGraphics/tipstricks.msnw
http://groups.msn.com/photographics/tutorials.msnw
http://groups.msn.com/PhotoGraphics/memberstutorials.msnw
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