Like Taking Candy from a Baby

    Newer Older

    267/365. A photo a day for a year.

    Best viewed by pressing "L" to view large on black.

    It looks like we might be set for quite a nice, sunny and warm Saturday even though it's almost October and Autumn is well and truly upon us. However, last night there was a clear sky and so overnight and early this morning it was quite chilly outside.

    My wife ♥ alerted me to this butterfly that was drowsily warming itself on a concrete slab in our garden—a great opportunity to photograph an otherwise typically flighty and nervous butterfly.

    I've been very lazy of late, leaving my favourite Canon 24–70mm f/2.8 lens almost permanently attached to my camera and searching for shots I can take with it rather than changing lens to suit the shot. I knew to get really close to the butterfly and do it justice that I'd need to attach the 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, so I did.

    Inching closer and closer to the butterfly on my stomach I noticed an ant investigating the drowsy creature. It seemed to be "stealing" food from the butterfly's tongue? The butterfly didn't seem to mind though.

    At first, I thought the butterfly might actually be deceased (I have history of unknowingly photographing dead creatures) but about 30 minutes after I had gone back inside and with a little bit of sun to warm it up it had flown off.

    EXIF: 1/60s, f/4, ISO 200. Canon Speedlite 430 EX II in ETTL II mode with +½Ev flash compensation in LumiQuest Softbox III.

    Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

    AGMX, shutrfly, and Tawhiri74 added this photo to their favorites.

    1. P.K. Photography 21 months ago | reply

      Sweet details, bokeh and toning ! And those eyes of this butterfly are kinda scary hehe

    2. powerfocusfotografie 21 months ago | reply

      invite code
      -------------------------
      Post 1 comment 2

    3. martin alberts1 21 months ago | reply

      invite code

    4. Sunshine-D 21 months ago | reply

      Fantastic capture. Love the story that accompanies!

    5. smpdit 21 months ago | reply

      good ninja skillz..

    6. Treesha Duncan 21 months ago | reply

      great capture

    7. Franquito Foto [deleted] 21 months ago | reply

      Really cool man, kudos to your wife for giving you the heads up too!

    8. Sprogz 21 months ago | reply

      Thank you. Yes, they do have freaky eyes :)
      Thank you.
      Thanks Jackie. I'm glad you like it.
      Thanks. That 'ole "belly crawl" worked a treat. Funny thing was at first I thought it was dead because it really wasn't moving much at all. After I'd crawled up to it and taken all my shots I stood up and did a little jig in front of it (and my wife looking out of the window) just to reinforce the point to her (and myself) that it was very inactive.
      Thank you.
      Thanks Franquito. Yes, props to the missus, else I'd have totally missed it.

    9. Trout Mask 21 months ago | reply

      A really unusual butterfly shot. They make an odd couple!

    10. Rusty Marvin (Dreaming of mid summer) 20 months ago | reply

      Cool shot Carl

    11. Crafterkid 20 months ago | reply

      Wonderful capture!

    12. Sprogz 20 months ago | reply

      Thank you.

    13. philippe julien 12 months ago | reply

      Interesting! I particulary like the bokeh . =)

    keyboard shortcuts: ← previous photo → next photo L view in light box F favorite < scroll film strip left > scroll film strip right ? show all shortcuts