I’m not an expert but an aspiring photographer. Photographing butterflies – My field experience. I’ve learned through practice, experimentation, and reading/watching online content plus some books. So it’s my own field experience.
Some videos on butterfly photography surprised me. They show butterflies seemingly anesthetized, allowing ample time for setting up equipment, even tripods, creating an unrealistic portrayal. In my field experience, butterflies are constantly in motion, making capturing them a real challenge.
These videos might mislead newcomers as they depict stationary butterflies in a controlled environment.
However, in reality, photographing live, active butterflies is a different story.
They flit between flowers, making them difficult to capture, especially with tripods. I’ve never encountered such serene, still butterflies in the wild, except for dead or preserved ones.
Issoria lathonia, L. – 2021.10.14
The reality is different; butterflies are constantly moving, landing briefly on flowers to feed. Approaching them for handheld shots is complex, often causing them to fly away or shift to another flower.
This dynamic and fleeting conduct necessitates quick, precise photography. Using long focal length or macro lenses, like 105mm, or even bright zoom lenses with focal lengths of 200mm or more can simplify this type of handheld photography, increasing the chances of successful shots.
However, the focus of this post is the photographer’s experience and practice, which are essential in butterfly photography, as well as with other insects.
Practicality, exercise, and experimenting with various photographic techniques are invaluable for aspiring photographers.
It’s important to approach media content with reasonable doubt and discernment.
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