insects Monarch Butterfly

Make sure you keep the photography up - you've certainly got the right idea. I think this is definitely you're best photo in your portfolio. What makes it is the contrast between the sharp edges and colours of the pattern on the butterfly against the soft colours and edges of the flower. Well done

I hate butterflys! What I really mean is that I hate trying to take pictures of them because they like to move too much. Kudos for getting one at all close to in focus. On the plus side, you got a picture of a non-cooperative target, the plane of focus is close to the plane of the wing, the flower is in focus, and the lighting is good. On the "other" side, the cropping of the wing isn't desired, the focus isn't "there" on the wing, and something is in the picture up close and to the right, that really ought not to be there. What I'm trying to say is that you've taken on a very difficult subject (a live butterfly) in an already demanding arena (macro photography) and got pretty close. What you need is more time in the field (backyard ?) and more film. On a personal note, I purchased a nice macro lens earlier this year, and have been more frustrated than not in my adventures around the yard. Good macro photography is technically demanding. I posted one nice flower shot, but I've all but given up for now the pursuit of macro shots of flying creatures. More power to you for keeping at it.

Steve Jantscher

Good job. I wish I'd had work like that to show after a year of photography. Keep at it and keep reshooting things over and over. I'm not really bothered by the cropping of the wing but what does bother me is the unfocused area in the lower right area. Try to get that area in focus or try to crop it out a little bit. Keep at it!

Hi, i'm 15 and have only been doing this for a year, please look at

my photos and tell me how i'm doing!

Only way I know to do much better is with flash to freeze wing movement. Backing off a little will get you more depth of field without sacrificing light plus provide more picture area to crop from. Butterflies, dragonflies, etc. are subjects where composition is easier to obtain with cropping. Light out of focus areas are almost universally disliked.

very nice!

Keep learning!

You're full of surprises. This is, no doubt about it, the best of your folder.

I can see by looking through your folders we like shooting the same things. You are doing great! Just keep learning and shooting pictures. Try to read everything you can about taking pictures of the subjects you like to photograph and study pictures from guys like John Shaw. The above was shot with a Nikon D100 and Nikkor 70-300.