Tips for Butterfly Photography

Butterflies and I have had a recurring number of encounters over the years. I must confess that I was more fond of them in my earlier days of budding photographic genius when both I, and my gear, were not so demanding of accuracy. Most of my butterfly photography was conducted with a 90mm macro lens, mounted on I recall not what body, and supported on a monopod for ease of manoeuvre amongst the brambles which seem much favoured by so many species. Have you ever noticed how far from the main clump brambles actually begin? Many a time, before I have even switched into stealthy approach mode, an invisible hand has reached out and vigorously shaken the bush whereon lay my quarry. Often I have looked round ready to render instant physical retribution to the guilty party only to find that ‘twas I, standing on a bramble sideshoot busily seeking to establish an independent existence as far from parental influence as possible!

Where I live in Spain butterfly photography as an all day pastime is virtually a “no no”, as it is in most hot countries. In the UK and other temperate areas you are in with a chance as the weather is unpredictable to say the least and hot, sunny, days can be the exception rather than the rule. The trick to success in the UK is to establish where they roost and then be there the next morning before they wake up or the next evening before they retire for the night. Depending on the weather prevailing at the time you have upwards of an hour in the morning while they are warming up to face the rigours of the day. In the tropics or Southern Europe where live I you seem to have about two minutes!

The advantage of cooler climes is that butterflies spend more time during the day with their wings “akimbo” so to speak and wide open for photography. Here, in Spain, their wings are continually up and down exercising their own particular system of air conditioning and it makes close-ups well nigh impossible. Yes, over a period, I have managed to get some nice shots but they were mostly garnered on a “purely by chance” basis where, suddenly, “there it was” and “there was I”. I have wasted many a fruitless hour on various trips chasing what, ultimately, proved to be the end of the rainbow and the result is that I have relegated butterflies to the back burner unless specifically called on to do otherwise.

Anyone who is a butterfly specialist needs to plan their trips carefully in order to achieve a modicum of success. In the UK and similar climes it can surely be an all day long occupation but, in warmer regions, it will, at best, be limited to a couple of hours in the morning and a couple more in the evening. The hours in between will be on the basis of “you pays your money and takes your chance”. It would help, in these warmer areas, to have a second interest, such as Botany, to plug the gaps in your productivity. The advantage with plants is that they are not very motile, other than in the wind, and so they can be approached any time of the day or night without too much danger of them running away! If not botanically inclined there are many other subjects that do not display the same anti- photographical traits as do butterflies themselves. There are a host of insect species available in most areas including, of course, Orthoptera which are my own particular favourite and covered elsewhere at some great length. Most of my advices are based on areas where there is a reasonable chance of being able to obtain close-ups of decent quality and I would ask you to bear in mind that, though much of the advice will hold true anywhere, butterfly photography in hot regions should be approached on a “catch as catch can” basis. I would not, personally, dedicate an entire trip to hot climes solely on the strength of butterfly photography unless I wanted an extremely long siesta through the heat of the day!

However, the above said and done, my memory is still sufficiently intact to be able to recall the satisfaction I used to get in the days when butterflies and day flying moths were uppermost in my photographic thinking. The strong colours and the excitement of having to “get up close” and the undoubted beauty of a really good butterfly shot are tremendous draws. I would not want to put off anyone who has determined, if for only a short time, to go the route of butterfly photography.

Like many aspects of photography it should not be approached in too lackadaisical a manner if you are hopeful of any degree of successful outcome. The days when you could have just sallied forth into the countryside and been surrounded by a myriad of butterflies of many different species at almost every turn are, in this country at least, a thing of the past. Nowadays changes in the countryside and its management have severely reduced areas of habitat suitable for large numbers of mixed species. The vast acreages devoted to single crop cultivation, such as Rape and Linseed, coupled with the associated change from many small mixed farms to far fewer large specialised ones, have led to a grubbing out of hedgerows and borders and fairly stringent chemical controls before, during and after cultivation. Any question that this has had a deleterious effect on butterfly population densities is quickly answered by comparing the numbers to be found on any of the many “unimproved” nature reserves existing only a barbed wire fence away from large arable areas when the evidence will be clearly apparent.

In practice most butterfly devotees, or even those with just a smidgeon more than superficial interest, ultimately seem to develop a desire to see, and/or photograph, as many species as possible. Whilst it is true to say that the first few of the UK’s some fifty odd species are easily achieved the task becomes quickly and considerably more difficult as the list of “outstandings” gets shorter. It becomes increasingly necessary to research and study each species individually if you want to get consistently within closeup distance. Fortunately, in this day and age, there are many aids to this aim readily accessible.

There will invariably be a local branch of Butterfly Conservation that you can join and the number of good quality reference books and field guides available at any decent bookstore is ever increasing. Do spend “a few bob” and get as good a selection as you can afford. I always place emphasis on those which use photographs since, no matter how representative an illustration is, it can often look significantly different to the live creature when it is in front of you. Of course drawings have the added advantage of being able to depict “upper and under” and “fore and aft” wing colours and structures but, nevertheless, with a photograph normally what you see is exactly what you get and identification is often easier. Because of the inherent advantages of both formats then, if your budget allows, I would go for playing safe and get one of each.

Many of the best butterfly sites now come within managed Nature Reserves (which tells a story in itself) where, once located, access should present no problem. One or two may require a permit to visit but they are the exception rather than the rule and, in any event, an application to the managing body should be quite straightforward. A diligent search of available literature, and internet websites if you are able, should serve to locate sites for most species and a journeyplan can be made to encompass as many of them as suit your circumstances. Once actively in the field, especially with camera clutched firmly in hand, you should start to come across other like minded souls and word of mouth should identify other locations and recent sightings. Don’t adopt the often typical British standoffishness of passing and ignoring strangers as if they were invisible. Often a little sociable effort can be rewarding not only in terms of immediate information but also in the founding of ongoing friendships with kindred spirits. We wildlife enthusiasts are few in number as it is and you are not likely to be able to identify many others walking along your local High St so better to make friends where you find them.

On the subject of the most suitable equipment to use I am often hesitant to be too specific because of the vast range of affordable gear now available. However you achieve it you will need some sort of closeup facility be it physical, in the form of a lens, or digital, in the form of an in-camera function. You would also be advised to have a flash facility of the “fill-in” kind. Use of this allows you to still depend on ambient as the principal source of light but, nevertheless, lifts and emphasises the colours without creating the black backgrounds that spoil so many full flash shots.

There are many in-camera zoom facilities available these days as an integral part of a camera’s functions. However the results from depending on this as a means of obtaining frame filling insect shots is seldom as successful as a closeup shot gained by actually being close to your subject. Some wildlife subjects as potential closeup material will stand being “soft” in some areas in order to emphasise others but a good butterfly shot needs to be sharp all over in order to avoid disappointment. Lack of direct exposure setting controls in many “point and shoots”, I would suggest, precludes them from being suitable for butterfly photography no matter what their zoom capability is. Taking into account the fact that, at certain settings, the depth of your field of focus may be no greater than the thickness of a piece of card means that your butterfly would need to be dead flat and you to be exactly at right angles to it to get the whole image sharp. These above two sets of circumstance hardly ever coincide in real life though you will be fooled into thinking, at a distance of some feet, that they have. This, combined with a questionable viewfinder that you cant see the image through if the sun is shining, or even no actual viewfinder at all, limits your chance of a National Geographic centre spread to zilch – however brilliant your subsequent computer skills may be!

I do not wish to denigrate the efforts of those thousands of people who just want images to show at home, or to use as memory jogs on a cheerless winter’s evening, for their number is legion whereas the number of serious dedicated photographers is but few.

The ranks of these few will inevitably be swelled by recruits from the legion who will “get the bug” and so they should be helped and encouraged as much as, and whenever, possible. I cannot abide the superior airs sometimes adopted and exhibited by some of the so-called experts in their various fields – wildlife amongst them. Just because someone doesn’t know the difference between a Dark Green and a Silver Washed Fritillary or isn’t sure where the shutter release is on his new camera doesn’t make him a lower life form. After all, in his “day job”, he may well be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist! Beginners, and especially raw beginners, should be encouraged at every turn as their first impressions on entering a hobby, pursuit or pastime are often lasting and can colour their outlook for years to come. I would be mortified if I felt that I ever appeared condescending or patronising and doubly so if I felt that someone had failed to ask a question for fear of appearing foolish.

However, bearing the above in mind and that apart, my advice, such as it is, is geared to those who want to make the most of the photographic opportunity that butterflies offer. I am not sufficiently up to speed on the proliferation of digital equipment now freely available but even if I were I think that my recommendation would still be to go for an SLR with interchangeable lenses. There is a vast amount of information available on this type of equipment from books, magazines, the internet and even staff in the photographic equipment outlets, so I do not, here, wish to go the route of specific recommendations. Suffice to say I would suggest an SLR with some sort of closeup facility. The ideal, of course, would be a macro lens but if the cost of one of these is daunting then there are many add-on closeup filters available that produce results that are perfectly satisfactory to all but the most discerning and pedantic eye. Added to this would be my recommendation, as mentioned above, to acquire a separate flash unit with a “fill-in flash” facility. This is far more satisfactory than a built-in camera flash as, with a hotshoe extension lead, you can alter the position of the flash unit in relation to the camera to overcome the problems, not only of prevailing light directions, but also of obstacles, such as vegetation, between you and the subject that may cast unwanted shadows. Remember that, unlike with plant photography, in the case of butterfly photography you are not likely to be able to “garden” intruding vegetation out of the way unless you want a “rear ender” view of a butterfly in flight!

Additionally some sort of camera support is of great benefit. Ideal, of course, is a tripod. “Ideal” in theory and “ideal” in practice are sometimes not the best of bedfellows and anyone who has fought a bramble bush with their own two feet, and three more from a tripod, to accommodate whilst remaining in “stealthy mode” will appreciate the problem. For species frequenting open grasslands a tripod should be manageable. For other more heavily vegetated habitats, however, a monopod may well be adequate. Whilst it does not prevent camera movement as well as a tripod would do, nevertheless, its potential shortcomings can be put to advantage. Once the monopod foot is in place you can gently sway from front to back to achieve best focus and from left to right to achieve best point of view of what, particularly if it is nectaring, could well be a moving subject, without having to continuously make minor camera adjustments with the consequent potentially alarming hand movements involved.

With the above equipment you should be in a position to go forth and be successful and my only other suggestion would be to take some water and sarnies because once you start following up on a butterfly you can end up miles from base and many hours later without even trying!

Bear in mind, when you finally catch up with your quarry, that a full-spread shot is not the only option to consider. In fact with some species the only upper view that you are likely to get is if you photograph them in flight. I well remember in my early days (of photography that is, not of life!) that an acquaintance showed me some stunning close-ups of many species, wings akimbo, almost posing for the camera. Inspired, my own subsequent efforts, by comparison, were undeniably deficient in certain cases and it was not until many years later that, bolstered by a somewhat enhanced understanding of the subject, I got him to admit that, in fact, the Brimstones, Graylings and other species that seldom, if ever, pitch with open wings were specimens from a collection carefully placed against a suitable background!

Many species have an under-wing colouration vastly different but also often as, or even more, attractive than their uppersides. With some species, such as Pearl or Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries, and often some of the Blues, it is frequently the easiest way to identify them. Photographing the under-side also has the advantage that, with only one wing on view, it is not so difficult to get a dead flat subject. This enables you to use a large aperture setting to divorce your subject from its background. In practice you will find that you are able to photograph a dead flat subject far less times than one with raised, or partially raised, wings. In fact some species, such as some of the Skippers, often rest with one or more of their wings raised.

In the interests of obtaining an all over sharp image, or as near to it as is feasible, you will have to decide on what aperture setting will best suit your circumstances. The situation will seldom, if ever, be perfect but the whole of life seems to be a compromise and photography is no different. This is not the place to delve too deeply into apertures and other settings and I would refer anyone so interested to publications devoted to the subject. Suffice to say that a large aperture (small F stop number) gives a shallow depth of field and lets your subject stand out from its background. In some circumstances this is desirable and a setting of F8 or F11 will probably suffice. A small aperture (high F stop number), however, gives a greater depth of field and so, with butterflies in particular, some of the background vegetation is also likely to be in focus to some extent or other. This can pose problems for some subjects such as, say, a Green Hairstreak in a green bush. Fortunately most butterflies are strongly coloured with clear outlines and should stand out accordingly enabling you to use whatever aperture is necessary to obtain a sharp image. There is no easy rule of thumb that you can apply and my advice is to go out and try it. If opportunity and circumstances permit then bracket your shots. This simply means to take the same shot on a number of different settings. Later, on the computer, you can compare results and learn what setting best suits what circumstance.

As a hitlist of potential shots to aim for per species I would suggest the following possibilities:-

• Male, Female, Upperwing, Underwing, Mating, Nectaring, Egglaying, Caterpillars and/or chrysalis.

If that list isn’t enough to keep you from having to wander the streets for the next few years then I don’t know what is!

Have fun.

Brian Pettit.