Digal Lepidoptera - P. philea

[Ladobe]

Love the digitals for taking pictures of the leps both in nature and from my synoptic collection - instant gratification.   This is a pair of large Phoebus I reared from Florida larva a few years back (Orange-barred Sulfur, for you Jack).   Wingspan is nearly 4" - larva (caterpillars) feed on the flowers of the Cassia species (Fabaceae)....pea family.    I made many trips from SW Utah down into Arizona to get fresh plant for these guys.

Camera was my Olympus C700UZ set up on my Testrite copy stand with daylight tubes.   Took these in portrait mode and zoomed in for high detail.   Leps are backed by one of my velvet covered high density foam backgrounds I made years ago for doing butterfly pictures (can just stick the entomology pins right in them).   I have them in several colors to use what works best with the color of the butterfly.

Butterflies and digitals - great combination.  

Larry

[Jack Crevalle]

Very beautiful. The daylight tubes you mention, are they special photographic light or run of the mill full spectrum flourescent lights?

[Ladobe]

Very beautiful. The daylight tubes you mention, are they special photographic light or run of the mill full spectrum flourescent lights?

Jack - they were special 'DayLite' tubes from Testrite - their terminology.   Bought the copystand setup way back in the mid to late 80's, and I think the tubes (2) at that time were about $75 extra.   It was the top of the line setup from them at the time - I sold it last year to a professional portrait shooter that does the entertainers on the Strip, and he gave me way more than I originally paid for it - was tickled to get it.