Advertisement
Advertisement
Read Next

Curating Your Images Will Improve Your Photography. Here’s How
Curating your images well is a critical...
Watch What You Photograph!
Watch what you photograph! Here's why...
Close Encounter With Bear Gives Photographer A Jolt (& A Great Image)
Ever stumbled across an animal...
5 Ways to Create Stunning Photos Using New Angles
Even a small change in perspective can...Advertisement
Featured Articles

Read More
How To Use Focus Peaking For Maximum Sharpness
How to use focus peaking to get maximum sharpness with every shot.

Read More
5 National Parks For Summer
They’re not too hot, not too crowded and they offer tons of summer-specific photographic opportunities.

Read More
Rafting Grand Canyon
For a new photo perspective on this iconic landscape, take a trip down the Colorado River.

Read More
Organizing Your Photos, Part 1: A Place For Everything
Use these tips to tame your photo library.

Read More
Adventure Sports Photography: Challenge Accepted
Tips and techniques for getting started in adventure sports photography.

Read More
Trillium Lake
Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon.
This is the 1st of your 3 free articles
Become a member for unlimited website access and more.
FREE TRIAL Available!
Learn More
Already a member? Sign in to continue reading
Butterfly Captures
August 25, 2008
Q) I have butterflies in my garden and would like to adapt my digital SLR to capture them. Any suggestions on what to use without breaking the bank?
K. James
Amherst, Mass.
A) You may be able to capture butterflies with the equipment you have or with the purchase of minimal accessories. First attach a medium telephoto zoom (100-300mm) that you probably have in your camera bag. But how close will that lens focus? If your lens has a close focus prevision and you can get a field of vision that nearly full-frames a butterfly, all you have to do is get close and shoot away. If the butterfly is too small in the frame, you might need an extension tube to place between the lens and camera body. Common-sized extension tubes are from 25mm to 36mm in size. Either will work. This relatively inexpensive accessory (less than $100) will allow you to move closer to the subject and render it larger in the frame.
Another accessory that will improve your butterfly images is a hot-shoe flash. Use it even on a bright day. It will fill in shadows and bring out colors in the subject. If you have the capability, set the flash to 1 or 2 stops less than the exposure for ambient light. The results will be significantly better than those you’ll get with ambient light alone.
Now all you have to do is figure out where that butterfly is going to land next!
By using a medium telephoto, extension tube and hot-shoe flash, images like this capture of a swallowtail can be accomplished. A Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and 180mm lens with a Canon 580EX flash was used.
George Lepp