As I was looking through my Val de Réchy Walk photographs, I noticed a sequence of images which I thought some of you might find interesting. I know there are a number of people out there who like the butterfly pictures and I think the sequence below sort of shows how I go about capturing them. By pure chance, the sun was in exactly the right position to show my gradual movements towards the butterfly.
Essentially my technique (if that’s what you might call it) is to take a photo from afar, to help identify it, in case it flies off immediately, as they often do! But then to move closer and closer (quite slowly, so as not to spook it) while taking pictures all the time. As you can see from the shadow, it’s just a point and shoot camera, which is held out at arms length (often thrust forward to within 3 or 4 inches of the subject and sometimes while trying my best to balance on my other hand!) At this point I really don’t know whether the camera is focusing correctly or not. Indeed, the final cropped image was taken from the photo numbered …6339. The rest of the unused images are usually deleted.
Also, I checked the timings of the first and last picture and, to my surprise, they were only 16 seconds apart. (And my mate Pete complains I take too long taking photos, or was that take too many photos!? 🤔)
The sequence is best viewed in Gallery mode, by clicking on the first image and then paging (right arrow) to go forward.
Alittlebitoutoffocus 
Ah yes, a similar technique to mine I see!
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Obviously a good one then! 😉
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A technique I use frequently, especially if it’s something I’ve not seen before! After all a record shot is better than no shot!
When I’ve got a record only then do I try and get a fancy image to post.
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Yes, it seems to work though like you, I prefer to get as sharp a shot as possible to post. I captured a Small Apollo the other day but the images are terrible as it flew off and then hid in the long grass (and the lens couldn’t focus on it properly). I may still post it as it’s clearly a Small Apollo due to the extra coloured patches on the forewing (and the size of course, but that doesn’t come across on the photos).
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A very familiar technique indeed. Sometimes I get a reminder the hard way when I step in too fast and too close to a new butterfly species and it flies away without a record shot. I can slap myself then.
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Yes, that can be really annoying, when they fly off without you hardly moving towards them. Even more annoying though I think is when you spot one and another butterfly comes past and they both take off for an aerial fight. Instead of two, you’re left with nothing!
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