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Mazarine Blue


Mazarine Blue
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-07
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Lycaenidae Butterflies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-10 5:42
Viewed: 2887
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The colour mazarine is a deep purple blue. The wings of the Mazarine Blue (Polyommatus semiargus) are this colour but towards the centre are powdered a light blue in fresh specimens. The name ‘mazarine’ is said to be derived from ‘Mazarin’, the name of a French seventeenth century noble family.

The Mazarine Blue is now extinct in the British Isles but it is widely distributed in most of Europe. In Sweden it is locally common south of the Arctic Circle.
It is found in flowery, usually damp, meadows.

The safest way of identifying this species, as with most Blues, is to see the underside of the wings. The Mazarine Blue has no red or orange and the black dots are each surrounded by a lighter ring.

The female has a dark brown upper side of the wings with no markings. The larval host plant is mainly Red Clover that can be vaguely seen in the BG of this shot.

This individual was captured when it was too hot for him to sun himself with open wings. Most butterflies keep their wings closed when settled in hot weather in order to minimise heat absorption.

This shot was taken with the camera hand-held at a distance of about two meters. The image was slightly cropped and sharpened after size reduction.
cicindela, haraprasan, vanderschelden, phlr, jcoowanitwong, cataclysta, lawhill, jaycee, jmirah, Silvio2006, falke, jmp, Pentaxfriend, Hil, SkyF, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Ivan,
Beautiful composition. Natural light. Good depth.
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hi Evan,
Captured subject is well framed. BG is also nice. POV is excellent. I like the blues in this tiny lil BF. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Ivan,
Beautiful picture of Mazarine Blue. The tint of blue is very beautiful here. The image is pin sharp and well exposed. Pleasant picture to see. TFS.
JC

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2007-06-10 6:38]

Hi Ivan,
Again a wonderful capture of this beautiful butterfly.
Very good composition, focus and sharpness.
Very nice colours and blurred bg.
TFS Paula

Nice capture,beautiful composition,

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2007-06-10 6:58]

Ivan, Another good one from you. The subject is very well focussed and nice composition. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-06-10 7:39]

Hi Ivan,
Spectacular shot of the Mazarine Blue. Such soothing colours, crisp and sharp details. Excellent POV, DOF and the BG is special. Very nicely composed and presented. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi Ivan

Great shot. Interesting POV great sharpnes, perfect buckground and nice colors

Very good job
Best wishes
Krzysztof

hi ivan,
beautiful butterfly has been captured very well, nice green bg, well composed shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hello Ivan,
Great close up vivid colors very sharp focus,
well composed with nice BG.
TFS best regards/LAwhill

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2007-06-10 11:13]

Hi Ivan,

Marvelous macro of this very beautiful butterfly. The colors are amazing and it is lovely against the blurred flower. Excellent details - I love the textures that show so well. Lovely composition.

Jane

That is a lot of lens to hand hold at only 1/160! Is it stabilized? Nice work. The color and detail on the butterfly is beautiful. I love the shallow depth of focus with the butterfly so sharp.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • jmirah Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 509 W: 5 N: 1141] (4687)
  • [2007-06-10 15:25]

Another outstanding photo...Outstanding detail...Impressive colors and detail...Great POV...TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 0 N: 1136] (5205)
  • [2007-06-10 16:37]

selam ; excellent shot of this butterfly, good details presented , very nice BG and POV, well captured with splendid colours TFS
regards
ridvan

  •      
  • falke Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 153 W: 18 N: 479] (1863)
  • [2007-06-10 17:14]

I don't know much about butterflies but this is just a plain beautiful photo, period!
Perfect technique and a very artistic composition! MMmm lovely!

Best regards/Bengt

Oups... out of happy green faces.. I hope to get new ones tomorrow and will bring you one then... OK?

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2007-06-10 18:02]

Hola Ivan,
Very nice photo by its colours, pose, pov and background.
TFS, José M.

WoW Ivan,

What a beuty
Compo, sharpness, details, colours, POV and DOV are PERFECT

TFS Thijs

Hi Ivan, splendid composition with wonderful colors, great details, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Ivan!
Lovely picture and very interesting story (I did not know about French ‘Mazarin’ family and its "connection" with this beauty butterfly). DOF, POV and colours are very good :)
TFS and have a nice Sunday!
Greeting,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 696 W: 13 N: 1407] (5035)
  • [2007-06-11 17:38]

Hi Ivan,

Superb capture of the Mazarine Blue, very nice pose and a great POV, very good focus on the whole Butterfly, the lighting is lovely and the colours are beautful and fresh.

TFS Hilary :o)

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2007-06-11 23:34]

Exquisitely captured Ivan. What a super capture of the Mazarine Blue and I love the colours and sharpness.
TFS
Janice

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2007-06-13 8:28]

Hi Ivan,
beautiful composition, with soft pastelss and a wonderful use of space.
POV, sharpness and details are excellent.
TFS..Sky

bonjour ivan
a par quelques zones tres legerement bruitées le reste de la photo est exceptionnelle.
felicitations une fois de plus;
laurent

Hello Ivan,
nice to see noble Semiargus in this very clear and well posed way, with wings excellently shaped by light, and half opened to allow a very good impression of both sides in front of a pleasantly coloured distant background. Have been happy to see the same pretty species the same day as you on alpine meadows in Carinthia, these days. Didn't know about the name Mazarine, sounds good, and well fitting. Today, someone might name it after Ives Klein.
Thank you! Best regards,
Peter

  •      
  • OzBY Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 183 W: 2 N: 351] (1355)
  • [2007-06-14 11:54]

Hi Ivan,

Great picture of this butterfly.
Great color, sharpness, background and lighting.

Oz

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