Images of New Forest Butterflies. There is an incredible variety of butterfly species in the New Forest, some prefer woodland while other are heathland specialists. They are more evident on hot sunny days as they need to warm up their bodies before they can fly. Sometimes when the weather is hot and sunny, they are never still for long enough to get a good shot away! Different species fly at different times of the year so check out a flight chart to see what’s likely to be around. Most are short lived and only on the wing for a limited period of time during the year so if you miss them you have to wait another year! They are most pristine when they first emerge rather than at the end of their flight period when they can look quite ragged – not what you’re looking for to photograph.
With regard to equipment, my images have been taken with a Nikon D750 and a Nikon 70/300 lens which gives a reasonable image. However, if you intend to do a significant amount of butterfly photography, consider investing in a macro lens which will really hone in on the fine detail. You’ll need one with a focal length in excess of 100 mm ideally. I’ve always fancied the Nikon Micro 105 mm lens but at a cost in excess of £700, I don’t do enough macro photography to justify the expense.
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