Giant Owl Moth

Here is another shot from the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.  I think this one might be a Giant Owl moth.  Of course it's another macro, but I liked how the sunlight was backlighting the wings.  This guy sat still for quite awhile letting me take several pictures.

(Nikon D5100, 40mm, f/5, 1/100, ISO200)

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Some things I learned from this photo:

1. Keep shooting.  I took a few good shots and ones that I liked, but I kept taking pictures anyway.  Each time I would tweak it just a little or the moth would move its wings a different way.  Finally the composition came together when the light back lit the wings.  At that point I was already taking the shot I wanted in terms of composition.  At that point, it was just everything that came together.

2.  Sometimes you take 20 shots to get one good one - and that's ok.  I'm not a professional, and I certainly don't claim otherwise.  I'm learning and will in all certainty always be learning.  I learned something from each of those shots if only what I didn't want to do again.  Don't beat yourself up for the myriad of lousy shots you take getting to the good one.

3.  Some moths like to pose, some do not.  Many would just fly away as I got closer.  This one, however, was ready for a close up.  And he (or she) let me get right up there.