Image specs: Olympus E-3, Zuiko 12-60mm, Zuiko F2.8-4.0 SWD Standard Wide Zoom lens, white balance auto, vivid mode, hand-held (image stabliser IS1 set).
On a recent weekend in Laos I was riding my motorcycle along a dusty road in Vang Vieng district, three hours north of the capital Vientiane, when I noticed a frenzied swarm of butterflies in the muddy ground to the side of the road. I have seen this behaviour before but never in such numbers and with so many species.
I hurriedly parked and crawled close, pointing my E-3 and Zuiko 12-60mm lens into the action for the first safety shot thinking that would be it… but no. So transfixed were the butterflies with their feeding that my presence made no impression. So I continued shooting.
After twenty or so safety shots I was confident I could change to my Zuiko 50mm macro for even better resolution. By now other passers by were threatening to disturb the butterflies intrigued by my efforts (I don’t blame them). I was able to relinquish my hold on the scene and explained how I thought they could also get some decent shots. Nature is never normally this generous with time.
To take this pic I flipped open the live view screen so I could compose and maintain my upright posture, holding the camera close to the swarm without disturbing them too much. A wonderful system for low level work.
I was able to virtually touch the butterflies with the lens.
Image specs: Olympus E-3, Zuiko 50mm f2.0 Macro lens, white balance auto, vivid mode, hand-held (image stabliser IS1 set).
A magic moment in the day.
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