Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Harold I am not loving the processing on those shots of the St Marks fly

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Here are some shots from a session out in my favourite haunt


A crab spider on a grass stalk



Laying in wait- by Alf Branch, on Flickr


In her lair sitting in wait



In her lair - by Alf Branch, on Flickr


A tenetative aproach my a male spider to a female on her web


The tentative aproach- by Alf Branch, on Flickr


Back in a safe place looking for another aproach



Male waiting for an opportunity- by Alf Branch, on Flickr


An egg laden hover fly



Hoverfly laden with eggs- by Alf Branch, on Flickr


What do you think?

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Harold I am not loving the processing on those shots of the St Marks fly

The processing is, deliberately, not the same for all. I would be interested in further comment.

Harold

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

A tenetative aproach my a male spider to a female on her web

The tentative aproach- by Alf Branch, on Flickr

A crab spider on a grass stalk

Laying in wait- by Alf Branch, on Flickr

An egg laden hover fly

Hoverfly laden with eggs- by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Alf, these are all very nice. My preference is for these images as my top three (for whatever that is worth) and in this order top to third.

The spiders have great sharpness and lighting.

All three have a good story to tell and show your interest in the subjects.

Keep up the good work.

Peter

[bredman]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Lovely shot Pete.

A cloud cover usually produces a photo opportunity as they 'dissapear' onto a green and white flower head which suits their camouflage underwings (usually Cuckoo flower or garlic mustard - larval foodplant but also cow parsley etc) this is similar for camouflage but much nicer as a photo study.

I've wasted so many hours chasing these things during warm spells in the spring, they never settle, and when they do they flutter off the moment you approach . I've never had so many opportunities for shooting them as during this chilly spell.

I have a regular patch of (tasty) garlic mustard (Jack-By-The-Hedge) in the garden but i tend to eat it all . They do look cute on the dandy seedheads though, i just missed the back end on this one but i like the shot. Natural light and handheld.


Back Lit Anthocharis Cardamines , on Flickr

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

I have a regular patch of (tasty) garlic mustard (Jack-By-The-Hedge) in the garden but i tend to eat it all .

I trust you have scanned it for eggs before munching your way through it! I like the smell of some of these wild flowers (mints and garlics especially) but tend to stick to Waitrose for my consumables

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

I've wasted so many hours chasing these things during warm spells in the spring, they never settle, and when they do they flutter off the moment you approach .

My tentative observation: They are markedly less likely to settle during the early days (weeks?) of territory establishment than later on.

Harold

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

My tentative observation: They are markedly less likely to settle during the early days (weeks?) of territory establishment than later on.

Harold

Not really a territorial butterfly, quite a wanderer. Males emerge first and patrol up and down a field edge/hedgerow looking for food-plant and a female. The females tend to fly less and sit on the flowers of the food-plant awaiting a suitable mate. Once mated then the females attend to egg laying and the males search for more females. As they mature they get more interested in nectar and less in sex. But older butterflies tend to be duller and damaged. As they emerge over a few weeks you will get a mix of older and fresh butterflies. The life span as an adult is about 3/4 weeks. The overall period of seeing them around late April/May/June. In other hotter countries you'll see a second brood later in the year but that is very unusual in the UK.

Some studies say that wandering behaviour is different around the UK and certainly different from the European subspecies. So the distances that they wander are said to be different from South to North. Other, more territorial species (eg skippers, hairstreaks, larger nymphalids like the Purple Emperor) will spend huge amounts of time defending a site from other males and having fights. Male OTs fly quite happily together and will bask in the evening sun quite close to another male.

Pete is right. Temperature and sunshine are key to Orange Tips. A passing cloud will stop an OT from flying. Evenings (cool but sunny) are good for photography. Other species you are better with a cool morning.

Hope that helps.

[bredman]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

I trust you have scanned it for eggs before munching your way through it! I like the smell of some of these wild flowers (mints and garlics especially) but tend to stick to Waitrose for my consumables

Yes always, i have a magnifying glass handy. The smaller top leaves are usually ok and taste the best. Awkward to wash but worth it (the leaves go soft and floppy) but tasty added raw in a herb salad . There are rarely any eggs tbf, orange-tips have a one-caterpillar-per-plant ladies agreement lol. More wary of gathering along footpaths where dogs pee.

edit wild garlic will be up soon

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Yes always, i have a magnifying glass handy. The smaller top leaves are usually ok and taste the best. Awkward to wash but worth it (the leaves go soft and floppy) but tasty added raw in a herb salad . There are rarely any eggs tbf, orange-tips have a one-caterpillar-per-plant ladies agreement lol. More wary of gathering along footpaths where dogs pee.

edit wild garlic will be up soon

Sound thinking. i got put off of most wild food quite early when I put a picking of blackberries in a bowl of water. Maggots poured out.

But I can recommend some elderberries in with an apple pie.

The thought is that female OTs can smell when another female has laid eggs. Tends to be a bit hit and miss. Anyway whats wrong with a bit of cannibalism in your kids.

[Walti]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Sound thinking. i got put off of most wild food quite early when I put a picking of blackberries in a bowl of water. Maggots poured out.

What's worse than finding a maggot in an apple?










Finding half a maggot!
(Kenny Everett RIP)

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

The processing is, deliberately, not the same for all. I would be interested in further comment.

Harold

Harold
I have to say most of your work is amazing mate.

This is not a matter of difference and I not aiming to upset you.
I find this set of shots lacking detail and very blotchy looking I am unsure as to whether they are over sharpened or are suffering from too much PP.

I would like to be able have a go with one of the RAW files myself.

[wornish]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Blue Fly

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[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Harold
I have to say most of your work is amazing mate.

This is not a matter of difference and I not aiming to upset you.
I find this set of shots lacking detail and very blotchy looking I am unsure as to whether they are over sharpened or are suffering from too much PP.

I would like to be able have a go with one of the RAW files myself.

Alf,

After the number of years I have been posting on macro and other websites, the prize for upsetting me is still unclaimed! I donate skin grafts to rhinos!

The last image was out of DxO Pro 9, Prime option, with no further processing. To be fair, it was (RAW) slightly less sharp that the first one. The first one had minor tweaks through two further processes. I thought it might draw comment. My standard processing, for the images you say you like, is normally intermediate between the two.

Images for stereo pairs get a little more than others, to improve the stereo effect. I usually chose the better one of a pair for those who cannot see the stereo effect, rather than process.

If you want a RAW file to play with I am happy to oblige.

Harold

[wornish]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Butterfly having lunch.

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