Never mind the last one, we have hardly had any butterflies this year. Our lovely budliea bushes, butterfly bush to you Americans out there, in Ramsey have been lacking in beautiful butterflies. The nature reserve is usually covered in them but not this summer. Now summer is dying and autumn is birthing and the butterflies are fading from view.This was another shot lying on the floor along the inlet of Ramsey Harbour. With no macro or even portrait lens to hand had to make do with the telescopic lens. They are a very useful lens for softening the edges of the frame of an image. That lens is so big I'm surprised he didn't take flight. Butterflies are not really my thing to shoot, but I like this as it's not in it's usual setting, foliage. His delicate softness against the harsh grey stone just adds contrast. Subjects shot out of their natural environment I tend to like shooting, and for selling purposes work better.
Never, ever overdo the saturation, brightness or contrast on these shots. I left this natural. The butterfly already has enough natural colour, the background is already grey enough. You lose fine detail when you pump up contrast, they become flat and washed out if too bright and artificial with extra rich hues. So many potentially sellable images are overdone in photoshop. They may look great as a virtual image, but when printed they are have harsh colours and loose definition. Mother nature knows best, and you can capture what she offers you with practise.
I'm going to be mega busy this week so I may be around less and you may get just snapshots on the hoof. Now is the time I start concentrating on the Christmas market. So goodbye to greeting card butterflies and hello to British robins holly and the arty farty shot.
For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own oustanding posts.
52 comments:
Lovely with the ground for the background. I worked in a Nursery for 18 years so I tend to call plants by their Botanical names because the common is not always common everywhere.
And then I don't really understand all you talk about with the camera lingo--but I am learning--so thanks to you. MB
The painted lady is lovely. A very nice picture for the end of summer.
beautiful!
Fantastic shot, as usual. I too love the stark contrast of the dark background. I tried to get a shot of this one's twin, with no luck. I was able to capture a butterfly though, just not with his wings fully open. BJ
Is this a European Painted lady? It's very pretty.
"Louis" really likes the contrast in textures - the delicate wings against the rough rock. Good shot, Babooshka!
beautiful pic and very interesting and informative post. thank you.
this kind of butterlies you can find often in Hungary, too!
thanks for the tips & for catching that butterfly while in repose. If the arty farty shots are like Moody Blues, I'm all for them. Happy shooting.
I don't believe I've ever stopped by here and found a bad photo, Babooshka! Ditto what Tash, said, that Moody Blues shot is also a gorgeous one. You go be arty farty.
brilliant colours on that grey tarmac surface (and i have no regrets about the summer dying for this year - autumn weatehr is far away here, and we need it to cool down and go back to work or school)
Hello !
Beautiful butterfly !
Nice and very artistic shot.
Butterflies always speak to the imagination. ( I don't know if this is a proper English expression, but you know what I mean.) Each one of them has a story to tell.
Thanks for your visit.
Have to agree with you about the lack of Butterflies - Cabbage Whites seem to be the only ones who've survived this wet Summer.
We haven't had as many butterflies here this year, either. I know bees are disappearing but I hope butterflies aren't following suit.
Lovely image as always. (ANd I'm looking forward to some arty English holly shots!)
This is such a lovely pic! Indeed, I am hoping to see some butterflies in Australia this Spring. They were most noticeable for their absence last year!
Oh yes the Christmas Card. Well fortunately for me Christmas means Geese and I have my very own super model! LOL! Agree????
I think we have had fewer Tortoiseshells in the house.
Dare I say Global Cooling.
Beautiful photo. (And thank you for the photography tips!)
What a ham! She stood still for stardom!
Great shot, Babooshka!
How sad the butterflies haven't come - where are they i wonder???
Thanks for visiting Rabaul DP and your comments - most appreciated. Am late visiting from SWF this weekend due to visitors, and internet & power problems!!!
Lovely, and thanks for the photo tip!
The first butterfly I have seen this season. Oh Xmas on the horizon and I'm still consoling myself about the lack of summer.
Babooska: How great yo see your Painted Lady, I shot an american Painted Lady and was going to post it tonight on Today's Flowers. You would have fun with that Meme because you alredy have some great flower photos.
It's easier to see the details of the butterfly without all the other colors distracting things. Actually, I like the contrast of orange on gray.
And if you're going to go all arty farty on me, I'm placing my order for a snap of Hogfather. :-)
great shots. all of them i like! most especially 'moody blues'. and thanks for the tips under cam critters.
Lovely contrast...good luck with the work..
I would love to capture a picture of a butterfly anywhere. Your advice about leaving it natural is great too.
Wonderful critter shot. Well improvised with the lenses!
Pretty butterfly we have had a ton of them this year here in NC.My daughter actually tried to save one that got attacked by ants unfortunately she was not successful.
It was the same here too, no butterflies in Brussels this year. I saw one, skinny and half dead ! Don't know what happens. Yours looks beautiful !
I saw a monarch yesterday. The rest are gone. I guess they went thataway.
This a beautiful shot Babooshka. Nice of the butterfly to pose like that for you.
I've an award for you on my blog. Pop over and collect it whenever you have time.
what a great shot
This is a beautiful shot and I also thank you for the photography tips you gave. You are 100% right! Have a nice Sunday! :-)
The contrast is lovely. Nice job.
Very nice photo of a beautiful creature. I have not seen any butterflies in weeks, but they may have been in other parts of the city where there are more houses with yards and plants to attract them.
By the way, thanks so much for your comment about my surprise photo in the stairwell. It's available light with no changes after being downloaded. All I have anyway is iPhoto, no Photoshop or such.
Pretty butterfly. Thanks for visiting me!
Lovely photo. Butterflies remind me holiday, summer days and no rush. But the colour composition of your photo makes me feel like the autumn is coming. It fits to my state of mind for these days. Thank you for sharing. Have a nice day.
It's beautiful butterfly and lovely color!
Very pretty! Great photo .. thanks for sharing!
That is a great shot! I love butterflies. Hardly see them around here anymore.
It look smaller than an American painted lady. Bees and butterflies. none around. Very pretty.
Lovely butterfly, Babooshka, and excellent advice re: photography. Thanks!
perfect!
You are SO right! I never alter my nature shots, even though my husband will always say "You know, if you'd just let me 'work' with that", and I always say "NO! Go take your own photos to work with." hehehehehe
I was wondering... if you would mind if I contacted you via e-mail? I would love to pick your brain about somethings, but as you have just stated in this post, you are very busy, and I do not want to add too that.
super shot prettiness all the way sandy
It's a brilliant pick for OddShots!
Lovely butterfly. I am sometimes surprised when I see that some species of other is the same on both sides of the Atlantic. Nice post.
What a lovely butterfly. Seeing one in the garden always brings a smile to my face.
Nice shot with good contrast. It looks like its been a poor year for butterflies in a lot of places. I've seen very few butterflies in my area, but those I have seen have been really good ones.
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