Shooting butterflies (Page 4): I have been to half a dozen or so public butterfly gardens over the years but none of them ever allowed the use of flash.

MDI Mainer

Haydon wrote:

Take your 70-300 and use a flash. I shoot at an indoor butterfly conservatory a couple of times a year. Using a shorter lens can work if it's a macro but generally, using a little distance can discourage their flight. After the first year I started using off camera flash with a partner. Frequently, butterflies are nestled deeper into the flora and dragging the shutter with a longer lens will cause motion blur. Using a flash allows you to freeze the action and saturate colors.

I have been to half a dozen or so public butterfly gardens over the years but none of them ever allowed the use of flash.

Haydon

MDI Mainer wrote:

I have been to half a dozen or so public butterfly gardens over the years but none of them ever allowed the use of flash.

Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory
281 Greenfield Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373

I've been here at least a half a dozen times without issue.

Betsy58

I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to share your knowledge with me.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Betsy58 wrote:

I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to share your knowledge with me.

So, after digesting the advice, both good and not as good, which lens have you decided to use?

Betsy58

I am taking my trusty Nikon 55-300.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Betsy58 wrote:

I am taking my trusty Nikon 55-300.

Good choice...

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

A lot of good responses posted here, but as others have said, the OP's question was not about imaging butterflies, it was about doing that in a butterfly garden. I have been to several and their all set up pretty much the same. You follow a relatively narrow path through what amounts to a botanical garden full of different species of butterflies. Along with you are dozens of fellow spectators all taking pictures and posing with them sitting on their kids arms and heads. It's easy to get distracted, watch where you step!

So, do not bring a tripod or off camera flash set up. There is no room for a roller case either. In fact don't plan on using a flash at all, as they are not allowed in most places. Most of the time the little creatures will only be a few feet away or closer. Bring a fast short zoom, use a fast shutter speed, set a wide aperture and as high an ISO as you can get away with. Have fun, this is one of the more challenging environments to shoot in.

Haydon

scsdesphotography wrote:

A lot of good responses posted here, but as others... (show quote)

With all due respect, this off camera flash solution is not intrusive whatsoever. Avoiding higher ISO's & avoiding blurring from a longer shutter are surely a benefit. An added bonus is color saturation and depth by the proper light angle. Artificial light provides so many benefits that many simply discard as an option in their workflow. Images are all about light.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Haydon wrote:

With all due respect, this off camera flash solution is not intrusive whatsoever. Avoiding higher ISO's & avoiding blurring from a longer shutter are surely a benefit. An added bonus is color saturation and depth by the proper light angle. Artificial light provides so many benefits that many simply discard as an option in their workflow. Images are all about light.

It doesn't matter. If the flash and if using a tripod are banned from the venue, then they are banned. That is often the case.

Mike

Haydon

Blenheim Orange wrote:

It doesn't matter. If the flash and if using a tripod are banned from the venue, then they are banned. That is often the case.

Mike

And a little research is all it takes by phoning. My conservatory allows flash without issue and I've be going there for half a decade now.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Mac wrote:

Well he did say he was going to a butterfly garden and every butterfly garden I've been to has plants that attract butterflies and in those gardens the butterflies are at or near those plants and there have never been any barriers restricting proximity to the butterflies or the plants. For that reason I can't imagine the need for a long lens or anything more than his 17-70mm.

A longer lens gives a narrower field of view.

Mike

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Haydon wrote:

And a little research is all it takes by phoning. My conservatory allows flash without issue and I've be going there for half a decade now.

That's great.

Mike

Betsy58

I went to the butterfly exhibit. At the last minute, my friend asked to borrow a lens so I brought my Tamron 16-300 which I hadn't used in a couple of years. I also brought the Nikon 55-300. I ended up using both. It was crowded and soon discovered I had to keep backing up with the 55-300 to get a shot. I had a great time and hope to go back soon.

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scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Betsy58 wrote:

I went to the butterfly exhibit. At the last minute, my friend asked to borrow a lens so I brought my Tamron 16-300 which I hadn't used in a couple of years. I also brought the Nikon 55-300. I ended up using both. It was crowded and soon discovered I had to keep backing up with the 55-300 to get a shot. I had a great time and hope to go back soon.