photoartflightRed-Spotted Purple Butterfly
While we were looking for Dragonflies at Plainsboro Preserve I noticed this Red-Spotted Purple butterfly warming on the ground. I was using a close focusing 300mm f/4 lens with a 2X teleconverter so I could get closer images of distant insect subjects (usually Dragonflies) so I manually focused on 3 different areas to blend them into 1 sharp image in Photoshop. Using f/4 for my f/stop (with a 2X teleconverter it is actually f/8 then with the 2X teleconverter giving a 600mm focal length) and focused on middle body, then antennas and lastly rear wing edge. I used to mainly use a 1.4X teleconverter for this type of shooting but the Canon R files are extremely clean even at much higher ISO’s so the 2X gives me more working distance. Then used Photoshop to blend the sharpest areas automatically into 1 merged image. Photoshop usually does a good job on this, but here in there I might also do some manual editing to what Photoshop does. To bad it is getting late in the season for butterflies & insects. They are beginning to show signs of wear. Especially the Dragonflies!
Another on a leaf still at f/4 (actual f/8 with 2X teleconverter but it flew off before I could do my near & far focus points. That is why I sometimes shoot center, then the near & far points.
photoartflight 
What a beauty! I love the chevrons on the hindwings.
Thanks Eliza! I seem to like to photograph subjects that fly!
Beautiful ☺️
Thank You! They are colorful photo subjects!!
They shimmer so pretty!
Thanks Donna! They are colorful! Plus fun to photograph. Not as much Fun as Bald Eagles & Ospreys though!!
I can relate to that!! 😊
Lovely!
Thanks so much Belinda! Soon we have to find other photo subjects to keep us busy! But usually that is not hard!! 😊
Sad to see butterfly season drawing to a close😏
I agree! Plus Dragonfly season is also coming to a close!