Black and white butterfly

I arrived at the grove armed with two new decoy insects, metal poles, video camera, new load spreader plates for my stool, as it keeps sinking in the ground, plus all my usual equipment. I parked the bike an immediately saw this black and white butterfly. I dug out the video camera as I thought it would make a nice clip. Having secured the video and the butterfly looked settled, I went for the camera.

I managed to get up close, but it had folded its wings together. The strain of crouching for so long was starting to tell, as I now had the shakes, but I already had 1/200th sec with F11 so that was okay. Finally she opened her wings, I took the shot and fell forward, so that was the end of that. Fortunately the shot was pretty good.

I set up the decoy and the tripod, but to be honest, I wasn't in the mood for sitting on the stool for an hour in this stifling heat, so I decided to wander around with the video camera, confident that I should have something to blip from the butterfly.

This is the first time I have tried video on live objects like butterflies and it is not easy. They keep moving. The small screen was very difficult in the bright light of day and I had great difficulty in finding the subjects amongst the foliage. I missed so many shots it is unbelievable. So much learned and so much more to learn, but I know I can do better.

I shot video for exactly one hour and gathered 38 clips of which 22 went in the bin. I had forgotten what a pain video editing is, it took me four hours with a few coffee breaks. I structured the content by shooting the whole area and interspersed the boring scenery with the subjects. Quite unintentionally, all the subjects have yet to be blipped, perhaps with the exception of the dragon which was probably the one I blipped two days ago.

I wish I could have got more video of the green butterfly. It doesn't come around very often and never stops on one place for more than a second or two. Even when feeding, its wings never stop moving. I am determined to blip it one day, but haven't come close so far. It will need some luck, or a net.

Even though I know I could have done better, I have to say that this is by far the best video that I have made to date. After viewing the finished product, I have to admit to a lump in my throat after punching the air. I really hope you enjoy.

Dave