Butterflies released during recessional

[kimberlynoelphotography]

Hello,

 

I am shooting a wedding on Sunday and just found out butterflies are going to

be released during the recessional. I'm exciting about the great picture

opportunity. Any one had this done before and would be willing to post

pictures? I would also love any tips you might have found useful. I will be

an outdoor wedding (if the rain ever stops). Thanks!

[35mmdelux]

Try to get an up close shot of the insect.

[yves_jalbert]

Can't comment on the wedding but I can on the butterflies.

 

1. Don't expect the butterflies to shoot straight for the skies like birds do. Some will, but other will go in all directions and stay a people's height. Take note of it, as they may get in the way of your shot if you want to take the bride and groom's reaction as they are released. The best is to shoot the bridge and groom just as the box(es) are being opened and the butterflies start to come out.

 

2. Chances are that some will stick around for a bit and if one happens to grab onto the bride or groom's clothing, hair, or an arm, it could make a nice photoggraph. Keep a watchful eye for that.

 

3. The previous comment about shooting a butterfly from up-close was a good idea. See if you can have one available before they are released so you can have a very nice souvenir of what they looked like.

[picturesque]

Find out exactly how and when it is going to happen so you can be in the right spot at the right time with the right focal length on or know how you are going to zoom if you use a zoom. I've had it where they were released casually, with ceremony, and/or no comment and by someone else. You will have to get medium close to the couple (upper bodies/faces) when the butterfiles are released (if the couple is going to do the releasing) because the butterflies are small in relation to humans and you want to at least see some of them in the image. I have found that the butterflies react differently depending on how they have been treated. Sometimes they are still sleepy from shipment and other times, they are already very active. In any case, as soon as you have caught the release, try to track one of them and shoot a close-up as Paul suggested, especially if one lands on the bride's gown or veil, but don't miss the kiss or recessional, if that follows the release immediately. The worst was when the maid of honor released the butterflies without anyone saying anything...took everyone by surprise, including me. I was expecting the couple to do the releasing, which is most common.

[rich_taylor____mequon__wi]

I'd suggest two things. Be careful of being too tight in your cropping through the viewfinder. If you're shooting a decent size file, you can always crop later and retain good detail. I'm not suggesting shooting wide, but if you are too tight and try to follow a single butterfly (unless you've already gotten the release shot), you could miss the larger impact of the release.

 

And, shoot in a multiple fps mode to give yourself options.

[stephen_lutz]

I got lucky with a point and shoot camera when a bridal party had the "release of the butterflies" as part of their ceremony. Granted. it was a nice point and shoot, a Canon Pro1, but it is not the camera I would have chosen for this task. I was at the wedding as a guest, and taking a few shots for the bride and groom, so I brought a small, light, but still "high image quality" camera with me. I shot a series of about four picture at 200mm with the Pro1 as the butterfly fluttered around and one landed on the flower girls finger. By good fortune, one of four turned out very good and made a nice 16x20 print for them. If I had my choice, I would have gone with a camera with a high frame rate, and a medium to telephoto lens like a 70-200 2.8 or 4. As it is, I had to use Photoshop to blur out the background on this.

 

http://stevelutzphoto.smugmug.com/photos/57228441-O.jpg

[annealmasy]

I hate butterfly releases. In theory they're wonderful, beautiful, exciting, etc. In reality,

90% of the butterflies usually drop out of their envelopes and straight onto the ground

where, while trying to recover themselves, they're usually stepped on.

 

I know, it sucks.

 

Your best bet is to aim for close-ups afterward. If you're up close to a group of people

just before the release, you might also get lucky and catch on flying toward your camera

(though I wouldn't count on it).

 

Sorry this post is such a downer! :D I'm sure you'll do fine!

[picturesque]

Anne--I've found that the ones that come shipped in envelopes tend to be groggy, and if I know that the couple plans to release butterflies, I ask about them. Many times people don't realize that it is better to rig up some butterfly "house" and wake them up to a fairly good energy level before the ceremony so that when the release happens, they do fly out and not drop to the ground. The most successful ones I've seen are done this way. Also, the butterfly house makes it better for photos since the top is lifted off and the couple can gently shake the house to get the butteflies going. This makes it easy to zoom in on the couple's arms and faces and the butterflies are contained within a small area of the image. Plus it takes a while, so you get multiple chances. Much better than multiple people shaking envelopes where the butterflies fall out and the whole thing is done in 2 seconds. Plus, you can take a picture of the butterflies in the house (hopefully decorated nicely).

[ellery_chua___singapore]

Ok this could be wrong -

 

1.try some warm air and sugar water feeder - butterflies are insects and they do become more animated when the ambient temperature is warmer, sugar water is food I expect a fed butterfly that is warm will be able to fly more. warm air could be from a hair drier at very low heat setting - no point cooking the poor dears.

 

2. suspect that checking with a insect wrangler will get more tips how to get the butterflies up to speed on this.

[david_bain1]

Make sure you get the shot of the dippy old aunt having hysterics because the room is full of bugs!!

[imgnepc]

Post pictures! I want to see them... I'm sure they will be gorgeous.

[nicola inglis]

The trouble is they are so darned small! I don't have a shot that I love despite having several opportunities. My best advice would be have two shooters.

[jenseay]

If you can get any pictures of just butterflies, you might consider using photoshop to "create" some cool butterfly shots. This is a senior portrait I did last summer - we found the butterfly on a bush, and I had the senior pose as if the butterfly were on her finger, then photoshopped it onto her finger later.

 

Just an idea....

 

Jen<div></div>

[neusse]

I agreed with Nadine about waking up the butterflies before the end of the ceremony. I just photographed one wedding ceremony ended with butterflies released - it was different and fun. I would like to share with you a few images.<div></div>

[neusse]

Wakig up the butterflies.

[nathan_ellzey]

When they're awake, it's a fun and unique experience that should give you a few good portfolio shots. I suggest that you put 8 or so in the fridge. Then when you have a few moments alone w/ the b & g, take them out. They're going to be pretty dormant. You can place them all over the b & g. You should have 60-90 seconds for shooting after that. I got a great one that used to be my signature photo for a long time. I still have a 20x30 of it on my wall.