Saturday, August 26, 2017

Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Flying Companions at Gamlingay Wood

There were plenty of insects on the wing on a warm still afternoon at Gamlingay Wood including this Hummingbird Hawkmoth (too brief a visit to get more than half a dozen shots), three Volucella Hoverfly species and lots of butterflies. I tried to get out-of-focus backgrounds with the Red Admirals and Commas.


3 comments:

Ian said...

Beautiful photos Ann,

Love the very dark bgnds

Was this achieved with just soft flash and and the inverse square law?

Ann Miles said...

The Hawkmoth is ambient with 100-400mm fuji -sunlight on moth with dark hedge behind - was underexposed a bit and noise shows if any lighter!! not quite fast enough shutterspeed (1/1000th - already on iso 1600 so couldn't really go any higher).
Others are ringflash on Zeiss 50mm macro so here where quite dark below the insect it is underexposed on ambient light with flash lighting subject.I need f18/22 to get all fly in focus - important as need the 'naughty' bits as well as head for ID.

Ian said...

Thanks Ann, very helpful.