Butterfly Portraits

[Loupey]

I know I promised no more shots from the local butterfly exhibit

But I thought I would share some shots that I've been working on. Not a fan of extreme close-ups but I had a theme in mind. Figured the exhibit would be ideal in that:

1) I get to shoot species I will hardly see out in the wild
2) I get to concentrate my efforts on only those actively feeding
3) I have a yearly membership and it is close to the office

Mostly #3. Anyway, curious to see what your thoughts are. Any particular shots stand out? Thanks in advance.

All with the 180mm macro typically pushed as close as possible before they dart away. These first 5 with the 5D...

[Loupey]

... these next 5 shot with the same 180mm lens but with the much more responsive 40D.

Some with a touch of fill flash.


Again, your thoughts/critiques would be highly valued. Thanks in advance.

[mjs1973]

They look good to me Loupey. Numbers 3 & 5 stand out to me. I think I'm drawn to the color of them, more so than the other images.

[AgingEyes]

I like the third one in the second series. The third one from the first would be my pick, too, if not because of part of the left wing got clipped.

[scott-devon]

I like the 2nd and 3rd in the first series, the colours and composition are pleasing.

[Loupey]

mjs1973, AgingEyes, and scott-devon - thank you so much for the feedback.

From your comments, if I were to make a rough generalization, it would be that the combination of colors (pastels) has a greater impact, or at least a more immediate impact, than the actual butterfly/action?

Knowing what keeps the attention is always good to know. Thanks again for your time.

[mjs1973]

the combination of colors (pastels) has a greater impact, or at least a more immediate impact, than the actual butterfly/action?

Loupey,

I took a photo workshop this weekend, and in the composition class they talked about the impact of color in photos. Warmer colors in a photo tend to project forward to the viewer, and cooler colors tend to recede towards the back of the image. By putting warmer color in the FG, and cooler colors in the BG, you add a sense of depth to the photo.

I hadn't thought about this when I first looked at these images, but now that I do, I see that the two images that I liked the best feature warm, pastel colors in the FG, and a cooler green color in the BG. Perhaps it's the perception of depth created by the colors in the image that drew me into these images over the others.

After taking another look at these photos, I also like the 1st image in the second post. This image also follows this same color pattern.