Holding a butterfly

[ArcticEOS]

I was fortunate enough to get this shot and only one. The focus is not perfect but this is what I got.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/jeremyirwin/Nature/butterflyinhand.jpg

[Sharyn1983]

the focus is excellent and exactly where you want it (butterfly's eyes). It is the DOF that is not perfect. All in all a good shot.

[goatee]

I agree, it's an excellent shot. The depth of field is so narrow, and the fingers are so blurred, it gives it a really surreal quality. Great shot!

[ArcticEOS]

Thanks Sharyn1983 and goatee. I have all kinds of pics from the zoo today aswell. It was a beautiful day!

[goatee]

It certainly looks like you had a great day! Just out of interest - what lens did you use for the butterfly shot - your 50mm f/1.4?

[ArcticEOS]

It certainly looks like you had a great day! Just out of interest - what lens did you use for the butterfly shot - your 50mm f/1.4?

Yes, you are right :) I should have stopped it down a notch or 2 for better DOF but I had not time.

[goatee]

Hehe, no worries - if you had it may not have been as crispy sharp

[ArcticEOS]

Any other suggestions or ideas as to make this a better shot?

[Grace]

beautiful!
kp

[staciecd]

That's an awesome shot - I like the blur of the hand.

Stacie

[In2Photos]

Any other suggestions or ideas as to make this a better shot?

No, but should you ever get this opportunity again please let me know so you can pick my lottery numbers.:lol: Great shot.

[tmigraphics]

What does DOF mean?? Sorry to ask a dumb question...

[goatee]

That's ok :). DOF is an acronym for Depth Of Field - basically, how big an area is in focus - with large apertures (smaller numbers), longer focal lengths, and the closer you get to your subject, the DOF get's smaller, so you need to be more accurate with your focussing.

[MattyB]

as said the focus is dead on, yet the DOF is a tad too shallow

i'd clone out the bokeh to the left of the butterflys eye (the one thats a touch lighter shade grey than the rest) as it's a tad distracting

[mbze430]

Any other suggestions or ideas as to make this a better shot?

Always evaluate your background. Pay attention to things that can turn in to a distraction.

I think you will agree it is the first thing you notice after the fact. But to become a better photographer, you need to know your scene.

[ArcticEOS]

Always evaluate your background. Pay attention to things that can turn in to a distraction.

I think you will agree it is the first thing you notice after the fact. But to become a better photographer, you need to know your scene.

You actually think I had time to think about my back ground in this shot :p This guy was about to fly away as it was anyway. I understand your comment though and this is somthig I do think about when shooting on a regular basis. I thought about cloning out the big yellow orb in the upper left but never did.

[Sharyn1983]

When I travel to the zoo I leave my camera on Ap or Shutter Priority and auto focus during my down times so if I see something like that I can just snap it before it gets away. Then I switch to manual when I have time to compose the shot. Since you have a 1.4 you can choose a good all around DOF aper. or a good picture catching shutter speed and leave it on that. Then when a butterfly lands near you, you can catch it and not worry about a good DOF since you planned for a good DOF beforehand. I used to work on a whale watching boat and I picked a shutter speed to catch the leaping dolphins and let my camera do the rest since I was moving around so fast and the light would change from direct sunlight to complete shade in seconds and I would have missed the shot if I had to stop and meter and change my exposure settings every few seconds.

[Sharyn1983]

that and I found I got a little sick running back and forth and also trying to mess with my camera too much on a pitching boat.

[mbze430]

You actually think I had time to think about my back ground in this shot :p This guy was about to fly away as it was anyway. I understand your comment though and this is somthig I do think about when shooting on a regular basis. I thought about cloning out the big yellow orb in the upper left but never did.

Don't make excuses for yourself. It the first sign of weekness in photography.

A real photographer overcomes the immediate problems. You gotta go beyond the call of duty to make your shot. Otherwise you are just the rest of the population.... a snapshooter.

[Sharyn1983]

And this whole time I thought the first sign of weakness was the inability to correctly spell weakness.

[mbze430]

And this whole time I thought the first sign of weakness was the inability to correctly spell weakness.

I didn't think this was an English literature forum either.

[goatee]

Surely English language? I doubt anybody would refer to this forum as literature ;)

[ArcticEOS]

Don't make excuses for yourself. It the first sign of weekness in photography.

A real photographer overcomes the immediate problems. You gotta go beyond the call of duty to make your shot. Otherwise you are just the rest of the population.... a snapshooter.

I see we have a real grouch on our hands. Dont take my replies as an attack. Just a reply is all.

[mbze430]

I see we have a real grouch on our hands. Dont take my replies as an attack. Just a reply is all.

Grouch? Hardly... When I was in school, my professor simply rips up my work, and say, "Go do it again, you can do better than that"

So I am being gentle.

[Sharyn1983]

technically its grammar not literature.