DSLR Photography Forum

Spent the day at my parents property today, they have a butterfly bush, and there were butterflies just everywhere! These are my best 3 shots.







And of course, one of Taliver. He loves the farm! I was quite pleased with this shot, straight out of the camera. Hope you like it too! (if not, feel free to critique )

hi

i really like the first one as it shows a bit more of the body, pitty about the head that is not showing very well.

yes it is very dificult to photographs butterflies.

christian

yes, and I was also aware that the most interesting colours are on the topside of the wing, so I was trying to capture that.
Thanks for your comments christian

Schell your butterfly pictures are great!! I like the light green background contrasting with the colorful butterflies... Lovely

Taliver picture is Wonderful!!! I would have tried to give a little bit more definition to the background... but as I said it is Wonderful!

Schellamo, love the pics, but the last one show the innocence of children perfectly...... wonderful.

Great butterfly shots. Very nice indeed. I really like your last shot but it dark. It needs more detail. In photoshop, image>adjustments>shadow/highlights. Another pro that I know of also uses this tool quite regularly and adjusts shadows @ 13% default. I have found the same works for me.

Nice butterflies! But your last one - wow! I don't think it's too dark (sorry Colin). To me, it looks really artistic with the little one growing out of darkness, having a peek at the world out there. I would have liked to get a glimpse of what he's looking at, I think this may have made the picture even better.

Hey Michelle,

All four shots are beautiful, but the last one of Taliver is stunning!
I love the restraint and subtlety in the colours and the detail in the shadows of that shot that suck me in for a closer look - it gives it a really nice calm, overcast, nostalgic feel about it.
I'm can see why Peto would suggest brightening it, and while I'm sure the photo would look just as good if it were a bit brighter, I think it would change the mood of the shot... and I really like the mood of this shot as it is!

I do think the 2nd and 3rd butterfly shots could benefit from a bit of tone-curve editing however. With a bit of massaging you could put quite a bit more contrast and colour into those shots with only a tone-curve.
They are lovely shots as they stand now, but I think they could be made even better.
Shot #1 is my favourite butterfly shot though, and it seems to already have more contrast and colour than the others.

Sorry.. I know these shots aren't in the critique section. I hope you don't mind a couple of suggestions.

Cheers
Adrian

I'm with the others in that the picture of Taliver really reached out and grabbed me - could have had a thread of its own...

The first and 4th pictures are my pick of the bunch, love the subtle greens on the first.

Hi Schell,

I agree with the above #1 in the butterflys and pic #4 is just fantastic.

Awesome shots, Schell...

My favourite is #1 - beautiful colours and lovely, rich blurred background. I'm sure the full sized image would have been awesome to behold - I can see the dust/pollen on the butterfly itself!

#4 of Taliver is great as well. I think you have a real knack of getting those cutesy photos! Might I suggest maybe lightening up the bottom of the frame just a teeny bit, to bring out some detail...

Wow, thank you so much for all your positive feedback and suggestions!! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to comment *big group hug*

Irma, when you say the background, do you mean the grassy part behind the tank?
Peto, I thought about bringing more light into the shadows on the last one. But I went to do it and I was looking at it, thinking that I like it how it is. And because I was there, I know that there is nothing terribly interesting in the shadows anyway. I will have a play though, because I might change my mind once I see it.
Guerito, he was looking at the water, perhaps I will try to bring some more detail in the water, but leave the shadows at the bottom as is....?
Kombi, your critique is ALWAYS welcome (as is everyones!) I thought about posting it in the critique section, but my ego made me post it here
I see what you mean about changing the shot, and that is how I felt too, though I think some areas could have handled a bit more detail as well.
Did you mean using an adjustment layer? would you use an S curve?

Gosh that last shot Schellamo.... just captures the innocence and inquisitivness of children perfectly. Congrats on such a great shot......... hallmark card stuff right there

Schellamo Wrote:Irma, when you say the background, do you mean the grassy part behind the tank?

Yes, I was thinking about more deffinition in the grass area...

would you prefer it to be more in focus? or the colours more saturated? or a little of both?

If there were a chance to take the picture again... I would try closing a bit my aperture... so I wouldn't have so blurred my background... the grass... In this case you would have the tank all in focus and the grass giving depth to the picture...

It is very funny but to me the water in the tank is not that relevant... but the contrast light/shadow... Maybe I am missing the message and I am looking just light, colors and contrast...

In a post processing with this picture to me has an incredible contrast by definition and I would work with it a bit more... Leaving the dark area as it is and brightening the background a bit and working with selective color... green to give more contrast in color...

I agree with the idea that this picture could have had a thread by its own... It is really great!!

haha, yes, it would be nice to be able to 'set up' this type of shot (I probably would've needed a tripod to close down the apeture in that light). I think you are right though, to have the whole picture sharp would have been lovely, especially as I was able to frame out any distractions.

Thank you so much for your encouraging words!