Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Mike Dale on July 29, 2020, 11:17:38 am

Title: Butterflies
Post by: Mike Dale on July 29, 2020, 11:17:38 am

Too hot to go far so photographing in the backyard.

Nikon Z7 + 300PF and Meike 18mm Extension. ISO 500 1/200 s f/5

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: churly on July 29, 2020, 01:22:08 pm

Nice one.  Good to see some more macro.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on July 29, 2020, 01:51:29 pm

Good one. I hope the plural in the title indicates that we can expect more.

Jeremy

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Arlen on July 29, 2020, 01:54:18 pm

That's a beauty, Mike. Well captured.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Mark Nadler on July 29, 2020, 02:04:04 pm

nice specimen

mark

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on July 29, 2020, 02:17:19 pm

Quote from: Jeremy Roussak on July 29, 2020, 01:51:29 pm

Good one. I hope the plural in the title indicates that we can expect more.

Jeremy

+1.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Mike Dale on July 29, 2020, 04:21:39 pm

Well...... you asked.

This one was a struggle. If you've ever seen a Pipeline Swallowtail you know their wings are never still. I used the Hummingbird technique of manual flash at 1/16th power in Manual Mode 1/200 s ISO 200 f/18. As it was a very bright sunny day the 1/16th flash wasn't very helpful as it's only effective over a short range. The solution was to pop on a Magmod flash extender to my SB-5000. Seemed to do the trick.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on July 30, 2020, 10:49:12 am

Nicely managed.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: kers on July 30, 2020, 12:24:24 pm

First: great photo's !
 I noticed that some butterfies are easy; but some are impossible to photograph... always restlessly moving away from you...
I have the 300PF and it is good to see you can use it for macro... will try it.
I don't know what the Hummingbird technique is: google gives me a great variety of subjects...
My first thought was- why don't you use full flash power if you need more light? ( does the flash-duration take too long?)

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Mike Dale on July 30, 2020, 03:18:02 pm

The technique people use to capture the hummingbird wings is to use manual flash at 1/16 power which I understand gives a very short flash duration (1/6000th sec?) this combined with the f/18 aperture and low iso illuminates the subject very briefly thus “freezing” the wing beats. With hummingbirds they use multiple flashes. I may not have explained that exactly but if you google hummingbird photography more informed people will explain it better. The problem with using manual 1/16 flash is the flash range is vastly reduced. To compensate I used a Magmod Flash Extender and I was shooting about 4-5 feet from the butterflies.

I hope this explains it for you.

Title: Re: Butterflies
Post by: Mike Dale on July 30, 2020, 03:20:36 pm

Quote from: kers on July 30, 2020, 12:24:24 pm

First: great photo's !
 I noticed that some butterfies are easy; but some are impossible to photograph... always restlessly moving away from you...
I have the 300PF and it is good to see you can use it for macro... will try it.
I don't know what the Hummingbird technique is: google gives me a great variety of subjects...
My first thought was- why don't you use full flash power if you need more light? ( does the flash-duration take too long?)

I’m using a Z7 and the 300PF makes a superb small lightweight walk around combination. For the butterflies and moths I use it with a Meike extension tube.