My camera found a surprise.
It was a butterfly that appeared to have been in a battle.
That’s not something that had occurred to me.
To me, we’re beautiful, even with our imperfections.
See imagesbyvandyne on etsy.com for more photos.
Tag Archives: butterfly
Red Admiral
This is a Red Admiral butterfly.
Of course, I made the focus the butterfly.
I also captured some texture with the flower and the sparkle on the antenna.
See imagesbyvandyne on etsy.com for more photos.
Golden Birdwing
I felt fortunate to capture an image of a Golden Birdwing butterfly.
I can’t decide what is most appealing about them.
Is it their shape or pattern?
Those who named them must think they are shaped like bird wings.
To me, the shape resembles some type of stealth aircraft.
The pattern is striking on its own.
See imagesbyvandyne on etsy.com for more photos.
Cloudless Sulfur
As I captured this photo, it occurred to me that it’s name, Cloudless Sulfur, does makes sense.
Not all butterfly names make sense to me.
See imagesbyvandyne on etsy.com for more photos.
Eyes on Me
For some reason, I have the strange sensation that there are eyes on me.
This photo shows what I mean.
Ups and Downs
From my photographer’s perspective, this Julia Heliconian butterfly looks good up or down.
Unlike most butterflies, the Julia isn’t restricted to feed on nectar.
Their ability to consume pollen provides amino acids allowing them to live longer than many butterflies.
That makes me think of the ups and downs of the human diet.
Dietary needs are a little different for each person, but I’m fairly certain God did not design most of us to eat potato chips whose ingredient list contains more chemicals than food.
Hmmm, maybe He gave me a body that thrives on potato chips.
See imagesbyvandyne on etsy.com for more photos.
Tips for Photographing Butterflies
Butterflies are gorgeous creatures who are not inclined to strike a pose for you. What’s a photographer to do?
- Pick a location with flower gardens that attract butterflies. The more butterflies that are available, the greater the chances that you will get good photo opportunities.
- When possible, choose a cooler day when they are moving more slowly. That will allow you to get closer to them.
- As fun as it may be, don’t chase the butterflies. Instead, pick a place next to an attractive flower and quietly wait for a butterfly to visit. This does require patience.
- Wait for the butterfly to move into a position where it is facing the sun. When the sun shines from the side, you will often get harsh shadows across the wings. When the sun is behind the butterfly, you may get flares.
- Position your camera’s sensor so it is parallel to the butterfly’s wings. That will help you keep the butterfly’s body and wings in sharp focus.
- Because butterflies are always moving, you will do best with a fast shutter speed (1/500th sec).
- To make the butterfly stand out from the background, use a smaller f/stop.
- Watch your shadow. Butterflies enjoy the sun. If you cast a shadow on them, they are likely to fly away from you.
With some planning and patience, you can take beautiful butterfly photos.
imagesbyvandyne 