Critique Butterfly resting on wall

I'd love some critique on this. I got a new 70-300 lens, and I'm learning to use it properly, so if possible I'd like pointers if/how I could have shot this better. Thanks!
 
I haven't got any real critique Diego. I suppose it could be a different picture if the butterflies wings were open but as it is there seems to be very good sharpness and detail. Well done :D

I see that the depth seems to fall off slightly towards the rear of the butterfly so maybe a slightly smaller aperture could have been used to get it all pretty much in the depth?

I'm really nit picking here though. I think it's a very good picture and I like it/ Well done :D
 
woof woof said:
I haven't got any real critique Diego. I suppose it could be a different picture if the butterflies wings were open but as it is there seems to be very good sharpness and detail. Well done :D
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I agree on the open wings, but it was really odd, it was just there sitting still, for all the time I took the pictures.
woof woof said:
I see that the depth seems to fall off slightly towards the rear of the butterfly so maybe a slightly smaller aperture could have been used to get it all pretty much in the depth?
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I agree on this. I'm also unsure if the picture would be more pleasing with more of the top of the wall in focus on the front side as well?
woof woof said:
I'm really nit picking here though. I think it's a very good picture and I like it/ Well done :D
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Thank you!
 
I don't think getting more wall in the depth would add anything. I suppose if aiming to get the very back of the wings in the depth we're only taking about mm's and I'm not sure that stopping down just a bit would get that much more of the wall in the depth.

As above, I think I/we are being very critical here and in reality you might have done as well as you could of here :D The completely out of focus background does help as the butterfly is very well isolated and there no clutter behind it. I do think its a very nice picture and that you've done well.

Do you use a mirrorless camera or a DSLR? The reason I ask is that with mirrorless you can often set the camera up to display the depth your going to get and when doing and seeing this it's maybe easier to see and make any changes like stopping down just a bit and seeing the effect immediately.
 
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I think it's spot on for DOF (may be a tad more behind), any more wall would distract from the butterfly. Only thing I'd say is a little levels tweak as it looks a little dark :)

Hope you don't mind the edit, just say and I'll delete it :)


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Gav. said:
I think it's spot on for DOF (may be a tad more behind), any more wall would distract from the butterfly. Only thing I'd say is a little levels tweak as it looks a little dark :)

Hope you don't mind the edit, just say and I'll delete it :)


View attachment 397239
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No problem at all, that's actually very true, it's much better brighter. Thank you!
 
The butterfly looks a little bit lost in all that empty space in the picture and the OOF material at the front detracts from the image somewhat, can you crop in at all?
 
ShinySideUp said:
The butterfly looks a little bit lost in all that empty space in the picture and the OOF material at the front detracts from the image somewhat, can you crop in at all?
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I can, although it kinda pushes the butterfly very low if I want to get rid of the wall.

20230801-DSC_0102-Enhanced-NR-3.jpg
 
I think that is preferable, the eye is more drawn to the subject now.
 
I like that the background is nicely blurred, so the butterfly stands out well, and I think you've managed a good depth of field. It's tricky getting all of a butterfly in focus, so I often shoot with a slightly smaller aperture to try and get as much in focus as I can, the head and eyes being the most important bits.

I think there is merit in capturing the underwing of the butterfly - sometimes it's hard to see and it can help identify the butterfly - other butterflies such as a Small Heath nearly always have them closed, so it's almost impossible to capture them open. I could be wrong, but I think this is a Red Admiral. https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/red-admiral
 
D several little things, nowt wrong with small in frame.nowt wrong with a drop off in DOF as long as the eye is pin sharp. Bud tis a fab start good for you (y)

For me mate the thing that is missing from your above crit is POV . .......point of view IE where your viewpoint is of your subject

Diego in nature we get given chances and we try our best to make the most of the chance we have, I think you had a slightly more attractive image on offer here primarily by being lower. Basically you want to be at eye level to your subject it brings us your viewers into your subject's world

for an image like this mate, skim the top of the wall if ya liike your lens being paralell to the top of the wall will throw it OOF, so our perception our focus will be soley on futterby. D, your camera is too high so we look down on flutterby

Mate one can create this mush sharp mush effect with the right point of view POV. What I mean by that is your foreground is mush your subject sharp and your background mush. By mush well togs call it boken I guess, tis in your image in the BKG

D what i'm trying to get out is a mind set , obviously you can shoot a butterfly image in many way a macro lens for example even going so far a stacking images to get every bit sharp as tack, but you are using 300mm what I'm trying to share is an approach for almost all widlife.........NOT a RULE..an approach you can use creatively in your image making

does that make sense buddy?

stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
D several little things, nowt wrong with small in frame.nowt wrong with a drop off in DOF as long as the eye is pin sharp. Bud tis a fab start good for you (y)

For me mate the thing that is missing from your above crit is POV . .......point of view IE where your viewpoint is of your subject

Diego in nature we get given chances and we try our best to make the most of the chance we have, I think you had a slightly more attractive image on offer here primarily by being lower. Basically you want to be at eye level to your subject it brings us your viewers into your subject's world

for an image like this mate, skim the top of the wall if ya liike your lens being paralell to the top of the wall will throw it OOF, so our perception our focus will be soley on futterby. D, your camera is too high so we look down on flutterby

Mate one can create this mush sharp mush effect with the right point of view POV. What I mean by that is your foreground is mush your subject sharp and your background mush. By mush well togs call it boken I guess, tis in your image in the BKG

D what i'm trying to get out is a mind set , obviously you can shoot a butterfly image in many way a macro lens for example even going so far a stacking images to get every bit sharp as tack, but you are using 300mm what I'm trying to share is an approach for almost all widlife.........NOT a RULE..an approach you can use creatively in your image making

does that make sense buddy?

stu
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Thanks for your insight! I'll keep POV in mind more for my next photos.

Cheers
 
Ha funny matey I wrote all that and then looked at your robin on the other thread, where ya nailed it. (y)

Ahh well me eart's in the right place:ROFLMAO:
 
I'd crop out some of the empty space to the right of the subject...
 
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