36 DIGITAL CAMERA^ JUNE 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com
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Know your species
Each species of butterfly has a
food plant, and it is likely they will
roost on or near this food source.
Information on species and their
food plants can be found on http://www.
butterfly-conservation.org – this
site also has great information
on when and where you are
likely to find certain species.2
Study your subject
When I first started taking photos
of butterflies, I would often go
and study a specific species in the
evening. Once the temperature
starts to cool, you will see
butterflies start to be less active,
and at some point they will settle
for the night. Once they have
settled, I make a mental note of
where they are and come back
for first light to photograph them.3
You don’t need
a macro lens
It’s not essential to have a macro
lens for this type of photography:
any lens with a fairly close focus
will be good enough. Lenses like
a 70-200mm are perfect as they
don’t require high magnification.
Shooting with a wider apertureis often better for a dreamy
painterly look. One thing that is
essential to have is either a tripod,
or some kind of support for your
camera like a beanbag. Because
I shoot at first light, I tend to use
a tripod and can sometimes be
shooting exposures of up to
1/2 sec on still days.4
Shoot into the light
Shooting towards the early-
morning sun or a soft light
source can produce some
really interesting results. Look
for details like dew or the sun
breaking through the trees or
a bush: these situations can
produce amazing bokeh effects.5
Have patience
This type of photography can be
frustrating at times: you will often
have days where you don’t find any
butterflies, or the light isn’t quite
right. On these days I find it’s best
to practise by shooting flowers,
wheatgrass or any other subjects
you might find in the location.
Experiment with focal distances
and various angles of light to
help you understand what
works and what doesn’t.9 | NATUREBeautiful butterflies
Fine-art photographer Neil Burnell shares his top tips
for capturing butterflies basking in the morning light