Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly - Aglais urticae

[marlunn]

I have started to process a few images from last summer, Dorset, a butterfly on a flower in a mixed flower bed
Played with it landscape and then portrait, I think this works better. Yes I know, its from behind and thats not good, except this way you get to see the sun on the wings, and anyway - I would not dream of walking on the flowerbed to get around to the front of it - I did not want to get thrown out of the stately home grounds



as always C & C very welcome

[Stagecoach]

Mark, I like the composition arrangement along with the colours in the image but the lack of contrast and sharpness of the majority of the butterfly lets it down.

I wonder if you can boost just the butterfly a bit to provide more separation from the background?

[marlunn]

Thanks Grahame, I agree, I was struggling to get the butterfly to 'seperate' from the background - will play some more with it, but I suspect it may end up being one of those ' almost but not quite' shots

[JBW]

it is a problem form many of us: How to get a subtle background in a beautiful garden. Perhaps a vignette?

[Stagecoach]

Thanks Grahame, I agree, I was struggling to get the butterfly to 'seperate' from the background - will play some more with it, but I suspect it may end up being one of those ' almost but not quite' shots

Mark, I put it into ACR, a careful brush over including the edges with just some clarity made a big difference without affecting the background at all as it's so well OOF.

[Jill]

Mark,
I like the fact that you have taken the shot from behind, it shows-of the wings.
However I find the background competing with the butterfly.
I imagine the colours of the background more muted.

[Shadowman]

Very colorful.

[IzzieK]

Even without the initial sharpness, I like the composition best of all...Good job Mark...

[marlunn]

Thanks Grahame, definitely going to have to play a bit more.
Jill, hmm, will see if i can selectively drop the background a tad - will help the butterfly come forward as well then, thanks.
Cheers John, appreciated
Thanks Izzie, it di dnot work so well in landscape with more background to the right and less on top so will play with this version some more