Meeting Manual Mode

In and out of focus

After my full moon experiments, we went on a little vacation camping in the mountains.  We were near some fields of wildflowers, so I thought I would try taking some close-ups using the macro mode.  Unfortunately, I haven’t learned enough about that, so strands of grass were messing up the focus.

But I was really pleased that I managed to capture this bee, and I used some of the techniques from the photography book when I edited the photo.  I cropped it really tight, letting the viewer’s mind fill in the cropped sides of the thistle.  (I normally try to avoid the subject looking cut off!)

Then Mr. AQ suggested I use manual focus.  I would never be able to focus on movement fast enough!  But he had studied the manual book, which I was too busy taking pictures to have had much time to read, and he explained the cool aids this camera has.  I could leave it in auto, flip a switch to manual, and as I turned the ring, the focused area would sparkle!

I then took these two similar photos in manual focus mode, including fast enough to still get the bee (or else a different one by that time).  I was really pleased with the clarity of the thistle, even if it isn’t an exciting subject matter.

Busy as a bee

Curly top thistle

To my surprise, it was apparently butterfly season.  They were everywhere.  While most of them flitted around way too fast, some took their time having breakfast, and I was able to get them in both macro and manual, still mostly in auto mode.  If I’d read the books myself, I might learn how to succeed less by accident!

I was really happy to get these two in focus despite the grass blades, as I’ve never had much success at this type of photography.  I tried to use cropping techniques from the book and not totally center the subject as well as leaving a little ambiance around them.  Cropping is so subjective, and it’s really hard to know how tight or not is best.

Having a rest

In splendid glory

THE CLICK:

This variety didn’t want to stay still at all, so it was hard to capture in the first place as well as get in focus.  I love how it so blends in with its background yet still stands out. 

Trying to hide

THE TRICK:

I had to get down on its level (another lesson in the book), try to find it while zoomed in close, hope it didn’t flit away, and then focus on it manually to avoid that blade of grass hogging up the scene.

COMPOSITION VOTE:

This may actually be a moth (I can’t find an identification), not as pretty as a butterfly, but it was a colorful contrast on the thistle, and it was there!  I’m going to let you suggest in the comments whether the single close-up or the double flower ambiance is more attention-grabbing.  (The spider is just along for the ride.)

A

B

This next set is apparently also a moth.  I was able to identify it as a box tree moth, and it is not a nice friend.  It’s an invasion from Asia, in France since 2009, and is quite destructive in Europe.  Oh, well, it was in abundance where I was, having breakfast on wildflowers, not trees, and I can’t figure out which of these three images are the most interesting.  The single specimen, the duo (with photo bomber), or the party of five!  (I think I have a choice myself.)

AA

BB

 

CC

PHOTOGRAPHER'S PICK:

I actually have two, because I can’t figure out which one I like best.  Both are fun.  This first one is being interested in our car, but the reflection is kind of cool.

Double vision

This one didn’t hang around long enough to properly capture, but it looks so interesting on the background (a rock?).

Pretty monotones