08/07/2026
Tiger swallowtail on orange zinnia
Canon R6 with Canon EF 500mm/f4 lens and 2x extender
I've never used any commercial filters or presets for my images. When I positioned myself for this shot, a while before the butterfly finally landed on this particular flower, I thought about some of the filters and backgrounds I've seen people use. I've always preferred the natural way. I also don't use background replacement. For one, it's not natural, and secondly, they never look right because they rarely match what the depth of field would have produced. Sharp clouds, miles away, behind a nearfield subject just looks fake.
This was the natural scene. The green framing was made by foliage in the near field that I used to my advantage by moving my camera into the position for this potential shot, a shot that may have never happened.
Most people think of good bokeh as being made up of a nice background but I also like to use foreground objects in the scene when possible. I run the risk of covering up some of my subject, as I did in this shot, but it was minimal, and I think it further framed the subject.
Taken in our back yard pollinator garden.
