# The Need For Speed?



## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Just back from Menorca, and while I was there, I was fascinated by the Hummingbird Hawk moths that flew in abundance round a flowering bush in the garden of the villa. Trying to get a good shot, however, proved very difficult. The moths fly very rapidly, only stopping at each flower for a second before moving on. My problem was twofold...1) if I tried to follow them with the camera, invariably they were gone, or out of shot by the time the shutter clicked and 2) the camera didn't really have time to focus correctly.

My camera is a Samsung WB600, and was chosen because it has the option for full manual setting of ISO, aperture, shutter speed and focus, without the bulk of a DSLR. Here's a very much edited selection of shots ( I deleted 50 or more that were no good at all!) that were taken with the smallest aperture I can get, and different shutter speeds to try and stop the wing blur...

This first pic is with the camera set to auto...shutter speed is 1/350 sec, at f4.6....everything is just a blur...










In an attempt to slow down the wings, the next two pics were taken with a SP of 1/1000 sec, and f3.2 (the smallest aperture I can select) due to the incredibly bright sunlight. These have slowed down the wing beats, but the pics are still a bit blurry. The second shot is typical of my problem...because I am moving the camera to try and keep up with the moth, inevitably, the subject isn't centered.



















Finally, a couple taken with a SP of 1/2000 sec, f3.2.



















As can be seem, the camera seems to focus on either the moth, or the flower, but not both.

The only solution I can think of for next time, is to mount the camera on a tripod and focus on an individual flower head, then wait for the moth to visit. This shouldn't take too long, as the flower heads are visited constantly by the sheer numbers of the moths present.

Hopefully, one of you expert photographers will be able to assist me in my quest for a decent pic of the Hummingbird hawk moth, which is becoming a bit of an obsession at the moment! (not that I can do anything about it till I go again next year!) Thanks for looking, and any advice. Rog.


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## pick (Sep 27, 2011)

It will always be difficult to try and catch action as fast as the moths move, the problem with smaller cameras is that it is difficult to focus on the exact spot you want.If you had a camera that you can can select zone or single point focus, that would help.


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

Using the flash may help. The rapid burst from the flash tends to freeze motion. Your challenge will be balancing the natural and artificial light levels. Use the lowest ASA setting, that may give you some room to work. 

Later,

William


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## Haggis (Apr 20, 2009)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Just back from Menorca, and while I was there, I was fascinated by the Hummingbird Hawk moths that flew in abundance round a flowering bush in the garden of the villa. Trying to get a good shot, however, proved very difficult. The moths fly very rapidly, only stopping at each flower for a second before moving on. My problem was twofold...1) if I tried to follow them with the camera, invariably they were gone, or out of shot by the time the shutter clicked and 2) the camera didn't really have time to focus correctly.
> 
> My camera is a Samsung WB600, and was chosen because it has the option for full manual setting of ISO, aperture, shutter speed and focus, without the bulk of a DSLR. Here's a very much edited selection of shots ( I deleted 50 or more that were no good at all!) that were taken with the smallest aperture I can get, and different shutter speeds to try and stop the wing blur...
> 
> ...


USE FILL IN FLASH 1/4000 OF A SEC


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## pick (Sep 27, 2011)

William_Wilson said:


> Using the flash may help. The rapid burst from the flash tends to freeze motion. Your challenge will be balancing the natural and artificial light levels. Use the lowest ASA setting, that may give you some room to work.
> 
> Later,
> 
> William


I agree fill flash will help


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

Amazing ... those are moths?? Great camouflage. And that last pic seems to have caught its subject. Photoshop sharpening, vignetting (very subtly) might help a little.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

As has been said, flash will give you a sharp image, albeit possibly superimposed on a blurred image from the overall shutter speed.

In daylight, especially Spanish, with a colour temperature higher than the norm for UK, colour matching should not be an issue. Earlier or later, when the light is not the same, will result in a difference. As flash is the 'norm' for a daylight colour balanced picture, this should not be intrusive.

Shooting against a plain background, such as the sky, (crouch and shoot up) will diminish the effect on the surroundings, as all of the flash that doesn't hit the target will dissipate without bouncing back into the lens.

Also, I would use the camera and flash on manual, at about 1/4 power, or the minimum to illuminate the object at the given distance. Auto flash may try and illuminate the background, resulting in a surprisingly long exposure . Flash durations are short when 'quenched'' otherwise they discharge completely, giving a longer exposure.

Big old studio flash units, like the Quads, could give exposures as long as a 90th...

You want the flash exposure slightly to dominate, so that the ambient light image drops away a little.

At what speed will your digital synchronise?

It was easy with a leaf shutter, which can be synchronised at any speed.

I love flash with daylight; when I used to do wedding photography we used to try to arrange the dark suited groom in a shadow, and the bride in bright sun and fill in with flash. Made sure that we were the only ones with a printable neg!

Or in a strongly coloured environment like a bright blue room, to light the subject person with a 'neutral' coloured light source...

ps: a fast shutter speed gives a large aperture and the other way around.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies, chaps...will fully digest and have another go the next time I go to Menorca! :notworthy: :thumbsup:


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