These guys make really crummy portrait subjects. Anyone who has tried to capture one will understand. I think flies stop and rest more often. This could be the only time I capture one.
I can vouch for you that "Butterfly Garden" or not, they weren't thick and they never rested! That said, you got a beautifully balanced image and a nice Monarch photo! (The only one I got was the back edge of two wings together...not much of a sight! Reason enough to return however!)
I can recommend having a Buddleia in the garden. They seems to settle longer on the flower heads. I'm no wildlife photographer, though, so I never get anything as sharp as this!
Ha ha, I understand completely. I have never captured one as they are on the move all the time. So well done for getting it! How long did you have to run around? Great shot.
Wow! Fav, immediately! I remember the days we used to get clouds of these things flying through, but not anymore, thanks to all the agricultural poisons that have eradicated them from a plentiful existence. So sad... But wonderful to see this one here. LoL about flies being stiller. You nailed this capture perfectly.
You also nailed the description on yesterday's photography skills; crummy. I couldn't take a decent one to save my soul (which would mean it's now lost). Impressed that you were impressed none the less. Sweet! As for the lighting on THAT lily stamen, let me just say you have a good eye for light. The natural light was coming from behind, lighting up the yellow lily. To get the foreground stamen to shine a little brighter I held up a gold reflector. The camera was on a tripod, the two-second timer took the pic. Good to know you like successful backlit shots. Thanks for sharin'.
P.S. My family is learning that when I'm looking at 365 comments and pics and laughing out loud, it's highly likely I'm reading one of your comments. Your latest on the b&w water pics is a scream. I have to confess that I didn't know who D. King was when you mentioned him in the water fountain comment. A quick google and I understood instantly. I'll never look at that water fountain the same from here on out, I'll have you know. Thanks. ! And yes, here in IL we have gravity-defying water. It's our claim to fame. It ain't much but it's something.
The difficulty is what brings us back to keep trying - must be the golfer in all of us. 8-) Nice and sharp across the focal plane. Understand they are becoming endangered too.
@pjtphoto I'll have to look into that, Peter. God knows my inability to cultivate roses does not hold much promise. I'm no wildlife guy either, but I do have a 105mm macro.
@888rachel To be honest I was chasing bees and butterflies that were flitting all over the place inside the lushly landscaped SJC Mission, getting quite frustrated. I was kneeling down getting ready to line up a shot of a rose and this guy was just sitting there not moving at all. I readjusted, shot him from several different angles and managed to fire off a few keepers before he decided he'd had enough of me.
@lyndemc Thanks much for the fav! I agree that it's sad to see pesticides wiping out species. Just today I came upon a rat on my front porch that appeared to have been poisoned. He was alive, but in great distress. Stupid me, I put him in a box and took him to the local vet so that he could be humanely put down. A rat!! But I couldn't stand to see him suffer and I couldn't bear to do anything myself. There must be a better way than spreading poison around.
Anyway, I'm happy to get your explanation on the lighting. Lighting is something that grabs my interest for some reason and I found yours to be so unique, but couldn't figure out what the source and angle was. Now it all makes sense!
@grahambudd Thanks for the comment, Graham. Yes, we golfers are quite the masochists. I say this after just having returned from a day spent punishing worms and gophers on the local course. Regarding the focal plane (since you brought it up) I'm a bit surprised at how shallow the dof is at f/13. The macro lens is a whole world of new discovery.
@stray_shooter I give you high marks, Ron, for taking that poor rat to the vet... A brief story...my daughter, Ashley, had a few pet rats over the years as a child. When one needed attention, I took it to the vet that attended to "exotic pets"...I think Ken's still shaking his head over that to this day!
June 9th, 2014
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You also nailed the description on yesterday's photography skills; crummy. I couldn't take a decent one to save my soul (which would mean it's now lost). Impressed that you were impressed none the less. Sweet! As for the lighting on THAT lily stamen, let me just say you have a good eye for light. The natural light was coming from behind, lighting up the yellow lily. To get the foreground stamen to shine a little brighter I held up a gold reflector. The camera was on a tripod, the two-second timer took the pic. Good to know you like successful backlit shots. Thanks for sharin'.
Anyway, I'm happy to get your explanation on the lighting. Lighting is something that grabs my interest for some reason and I found yours to be so unique, but couldn't figure out what the source and angle was. Now it all makes sense!