I've been seeing quite a few butterflies in the back yard this past week.
This is the first Monarch I was able to get a good photo of. He sat there and posed for me for several seconds.
Janet
My First Monarch Photo
Lucky You, Janet. They don't keep their wings open much for me.
There were 4 of them around this afternoon, very skittish though.
Nice shot.
Andy P
That's a beautiful shot!! Lucky you!
Hi Andy and luvsgrtdanes,
That is the first one I've seen (that I was aware of). I was able to get THREE shots in a row like that one. I couldn't believe it when I downloaded the photos. Not bad for a gal that's never done much photography in the past without cutting off someone's head! HAHAHAHA
Digital has really opened up a new world for me. I have a big memory card on my camera and I've learned to set my camera at the 1Meg size to get the best results. I love printing out/ framing some of the shots I've taken. The detail is so much better than the smaller photos.
I had a single caterpillar that I knew was a Monarch, but he disappeared. I didn't realize that I could have "protected" him, until he was gone. I talked to him every day and took many photos of him. I can't help but wonder if this was him.
I just noticed the assassin bug in this photo of the same Monarch. Please excuse the hideous mess the vines, etc. are in. That is the absolute WORST spot in the whole back yard, as far as plants doing their own thing. There is a massive hole and a half of a tree trunk (that still needs to be removed from Rita, a year ago) behind the foilage in this shot. Very "snaky"!
edited to add: Those vines, etc. are wrapped around the butterfly bushes that the caterpillar was found on. So that might be a familiar area to the Monarch, if indeed it IS the one that I saw a month or so ago.
This message was edited Sep 20, 2006 6:00 PM
Always set the camera for the best possible format. To heck with how much memory it takes. You can always adjust it in your PC editing.
Do you have Adobe PhotoShop? If so, I may be able to give you some tips if you need them. Like 'unsharp mask'.
This new shot is really good, too.
Isn't photography fun?
Andy P
fabulous shot Janet. Yes digitals are so cool. Using regular camera cost you a fortune. I used to get maybe 1 good shot per roll of film
I may have Adobe Andy, I'm not sure. I use Photo Filtre, downloaded free on the net. I've seen the "mask business", but never knew what that was all about. I don't remember if Photo Filtre has it, or if it was Paint Shop Pro that I saw it. I don't have PSP any more.
I've been very pleased with my Sony DSC-H1 camera. I still haven't taken the time to read the manual (hanging head in shame). I'm sure it will do much more than what I've been asking of it. I should take that time to learn what the different settings do. I mainly use the "little golfing man" for action shots and just adjust the numbers until I like the lighting. Now and then I have to adjust the Gamma afterward, but I'm getting better about being satisfied with minimal editing.
I send a lot of photos in email so I like for them to not be quite so humongous. I always have to remember to resize before I send. It's a pain sometimes, but in the long run, worth those few minutes, when needed.
Janet
Wow Janet, you did an awesome job on those! Thanks for sharing; I've yet to see a Monarch. But I did see a Gulf Fritillary this week - darn things fly very fast and zippy and I can't get a shot of him :)
Thanks for sharing it with us!
~Sunny
Thanks Sunny. I was really pleased with the turnout. They are all very quick and have a tendency to fold those wings up, right as the shutter clicks. We've had a cool front move in this past week and so the wind was a factor as well. I'm not complaining one little bit. I'm really enjoying the cooler days and evenings.
Donna, I shudder to think how much money I wasted over the years on getting horrid shots developed. I finally just about quit taking photos all together. I'm thankful that my mom was so diligent about taking photos on holidays so I could see my family grow! HAHAHAHA
Janet
Janet, I'm sure my little Fuji can do more than I ask of it, too. I'll bet you know way more about photography than I do also. I've only had a digital for 17 months, before that it was a point and shoot 35 mm.
The 'unsharp mask' in PhotoShop is the only image sharpening tool worth the effort. It allows me to clarify a shot enough so I can crop it way down for more impact. I also put my watermark and resize in PS. I'm slowly learning more 'tricks'. The program came with this used laptop.
I also resize with Microsoft PowerToys resizer. It reduces the file size more without reducing the image size. A pic I resized in PS down to 800 x 600 may be 500 kb, when I resize that image with PowerToys it is still 800 x 600 but about 150 kb. Easier to post and E-Mail.
I'm still experimenting and learning. Every once and a while I have a small 'breakthrough', LOL. It's fun.
Andy P
Hi Andy,
I'm not sure why, but I fought getting a digital camera for a long time. My mother (always behind the times) bought one (Polaroid) and then bought another one (Sony) when she found a great deal at WalMart. She gave me her "old" (wasn't but a few months old) Polaroid to learn on. That was just about the time that my first grandbaby came along. I was so thankful to have it because I kept the little one during the daytime, for her first 6 months or so. I didn't know any better and was tickled to death to have some photos of Kaylee. I started using Paint Shop Pro to lighten as necessary.
Then I began to sell things on eBay. I used the devil out of that little polaroid until the LCD screen went out. It would still take photos, but .... well.... sounded like a good excuse to buy one for myself. I wanted something to take photos close up of my jewelry that I make. I picked the little man's brains at Best Buy until he'd talked me into an Olympus. Between the camera, memory stick, spare battery (it didn't take double A's) and a nice case, the warranty, I'd spent almost $700.
The first month or so was a big learning time for me. That camera had much more than I knew what to do with. I wasn't very pleased with the photos though. Then after 2 months, the flash went out. I took it back to Best Buy and they kept it for several months. We went round and round and round and I finally pitched a big enough fit that the manager allowed me to exchange it. That's when I got the Sony DSC-W5. It was much easier to use and I've loved the photos that I've taken with it. Small and compact.
Then a very good friend of mine called and told me that both he and his wife had bought identical cameras the same day from different places and would I be interested in it. He wanted me to have the first opportunity to get it. I talked it over with hubby and we decided that for the price, it was a very good deal. It was the Sony DSC-H1. It had never been out of the box. He also had a big memory stick with it. I set up the W5 for hubby to take hunting, etc. He keeps that one in his van now and also used it for taking photos on the job. He does remodeling work.
Although I much prefer the zoom on the H1 to the W5, both cameras have great photo capabilities. My eyes aren't what they used to be. Both have the 2.5" screen for viewing.
Kaylee is now almost 3. Thanks to my Mom, I have thousands of photos of her and of the other 2 grandbabies.
Now, I hear my kids say, "Hurry Mom! Bring your camera!" all the time. It's usually not far from wherever I'm at.
Janet
Maw Maw's little butterflies
Priceless.
Janet, that's your best shot yet :D
Adorable.
~Sunny