4 Simple and powerful butterfly photo tips

Butterfly photo tips

1) Go to a Butterfly Garden

If you go a butterfly garden you will have the pleasure of seeing many species in one place. You will also see many different types of flowers and plants that will help make your images even more beautiful. All in one small place. It is a challenge to photograph butterflies in the wild but not impossible. You would have to find an area with many butterfly bushes and then wait for your butterflies- but you will have to wait at a garden as well!

2) The best time to photograph

Photograph with the gorgeous morning light if you can: sunrise until about 9:00 am depending where in the world you are.

Afternoon: 3:30 until sunset.

Under the shade: This will provide for vibrant colors!

Do not photograph under bright sunlight because the butterflies will look washed out and your images will have hot spots (white areas with no details)

3) Cameras

DSLR cameras:

Butterfly photos will come out gorgeous when you use a dslr (or similar) camera because you will be able to create a soft focus background which will enhance the butterfly.

Your speed should be over 125 so you will need to tweak your exposure using the ISO. Try not use a high number because it will cause digital noise (or graininess).

Best MODE for butterfly photos: Manual! 

To get that gorgeous soft focus background you will need a large aperture opening: F1.4- F4.

Lens 50 mm or a telephoto zoom.

The secret to a soft background is bring the camera near the butterfly and make sure that you have a good distance between the butterfly and the background.

Mobile cameras:

Get as close as you can and zoom in.

If you want a more blurry background: Use the Portrait mode on your mobile.

For more blur: Edit with an app. 

Both these photos were made with a mobile phone camera Photographed Photo on the right was edited using the Snapseed App

4) Photograph your Butterfly

-When you enter a butterfly garden take a quick look around and study which plants are attracting more butterflies.

-Go to those plants and wait for the butterflies to land on the flowers and leaves.

If you start chasing them it will be a frustrating event, you might frighten the butterflies away and spoil it for others and you might go home without any butterfly photos.

Background is everything! Choose a beautiful background. You want something that has more green and maybe some colorful flowers.

Mobile and DSLR photographers: Get as close as you can to the butterfly.

Frame carefully. Photograph at eye-level to the butterfly for the best framing!

The longer you stay in the butterfly garden the more you will learn about the butterflies and which plants are the most popular for their landing.

Get to know the butterflies! Some are very quick, just like humming birds. They will be in constant movement and are very difficult to photograph and others are more laid back and love to lounge around on some plants.

Which is the best camera to photograph butterflies?

The one you have!