and they get smaller still

One of the smallest species I have encountered I was drawn by the contrasting colours.

Canon 1D3 handheld 180mm ISO 400 ringflash. RAW to lightroom then resized to post.

Critique, Comments or Advice most welcome.

Thanks for looking.

Hi Barry

Good colourful image but I feel the composition lets it down. By placing the subject in the centre you've included a lot of blank space to the top and left - this doesn't really add anything to the shot. I'd have preferred to see the subject on the left, higher in the frame and more of the flower.
Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Chris

Good attempt Barry.
As a matter of interest it doesn.t look too bad rotated 90% left !
Looks like one of the hairstreak family.
Cheers
JohnR

Thanks chaps just what I needed, I tend to click away gathering as many species as possible, without giving any thought to composition. Where as composition is an art in it's self. I'll implement the suggestions.

I am sure you can sort out the comp Barry, still enjoyed viewing it beautiful colour in this image

Having implemented your suggestions I can see the improvement.

Well Barry I'm not going to comment on the comp, but for me at least, this has got to be one of your best processed images to date matey - well done

Andy

Thank you a compliment indeed, I'm getting a bit long in the tooth and teaching an old dog new tricks takes time.

2nd image a vast improvement .

Agree, 2nd is best and you just need to get a little more perpendicular to your subject and that will lift the game a bit more..

Brett

Second image is much better Barry. I can empathise with you regarding composition. It is easy once you see it done as it should be but spotting it yourself while processing is not so easy.

Agree with JR, definitely a member of the Hairstreak family. Probably in my book but at this time of night I can't be bothered to look - sorry

Hairstreaks are not the easiest butterflies to get shots of because they spend so much of their time high in the tree canopy, so you did well to get this and you have made a fine job of it too.
eric