The art of capturing winged wonders with your smartphone.

Photographing butterflies is a fun and rewarding way to connect with nature, and the best part is that you don’t need expensive equipment to take stunning photos—the smartphone in your pocket is all you need, from capturing images to editing on the go. Today’s phones come with built-in tools that help capture close-up, high-quality photos of small subjects. 

First, get to know your smartphone camera’s capabilities, starting with the extra lenses available on many models. Experiment with each lens to see how much closer they bring you to your subject. It’s best to rely on the marked zoom distance of each optical lens (2x, 5x, etc.) rather than resorting to digital zoom (pinching your screen to zoom in), which works by cropping into the image and enlarging the pixels, leading to loss of detail and reduction in image quality. Instead, use the optical zoom to ensure you’re capturing the full resolution of the photo, especially important for the intricate details of butterfly wings (you can always crop later during the editing process).

If you have a more advanced model, such as  iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S-series, open the camera app and dig into the settings. There, you’ll find several options that go beyond the default mode you may be used to. For instance, Portrait mode is useful for isolating the butterfly from its surroundings by blurring the background, which simulates the shallow depth of field available with professional macro lenses. If you’re especially adventurous and want to further duplicate professional camera settings, see if your smartphone has a Pro mode. There, you can adjust the ISO, shutter speed, aperture and white balance. If these terms sound daunting, keep in mind that many phones allow you to manually adjust exposure in default mode by sliding your finger up or down on the screen while focusing.

Once you have a better understanding of your smartphone camera’s capabilities, it’s time to head out and search for winged wonders. To increase your odds of success, visit a dedicated butterfly habitat, such as Scottsdale’s Butterfly Wonderland, Desert Botanical Garden’s seasonal butterfly pavilion, or Tucson Botanical Garden’s winter butterfly conservatory. Once you’ve mastered your newfound skills in captive spaces, extend your range to local parks and public gardens, where native species abound. Don’t limit your hunt to well-known species, such as monarchs, queens and swallowtails—also keep an eye out for the tiny blues, skippers and hairstreaks that are more challenging to spot and photograph due to their diminutive size.

Your own actions—independent of pocket technology—are also crucial to getting high-quality butterfly photos. If you come across an appealing photo op, get your first shot as soon as you can, but be sure not to cast your shadow onto the butterfly, as it may assume you’re a predator and be spooked into taking flight. Once your initial shot is saved to your camera roll, try coming closer and experimenting with different angles. As in all portraiture, make sure the butterfly’s eyes are in focus by tapping directly on your screen instead of relying on auto-focus. If the eyes are out of focus and another part of the subject (such as the body or wings) is sharp, it can create a visual distraction, making the composition feel awkward or off-balance. The viewer may be drawn to the wrong area of the image, which can undermine the photo’s overall effectiveness.

Learning about your tiny subjects also enhances your enjoyment. Butterfly identification guides (whether printed, online or via phone app) will not only help you identify species but also provide background info. Males and females often have different markings, so knowing the differences provides an extra challenge to include both genders in your photo albums. 

Markings also vary widely on tops versus undersides of wings, so try to capture both. Some species fold their wings when perched, while others spread their wings wide open. Getting to know different species’ behaviors can add to the fun of capturing atypical poses. Once you’ve mastered butterflies, turn your attention to the static elements of your photos—look for critters perched on different flowers or more colorful leaves for variety. 

Once you’re back at home, editing right on your phone can turn basic photos into fine art worthy of hanging on your wall. Free photo-editing apps such as Snapseed (available for both iPhone and Android) can finetune details, enhance colors or crop your photos. More artsy apps such as Prisma provide fun ways to give your butterfly photos a creative twist by adding painterly effects. 

Whether you’re just starting out or refining your skills, your smartphone is a powerful tool that can help bring the enchanting world of butterflies to life in your photos. There’s no end to the fun of collecting these flighty creatures—in photos, that is.

Photographer: Lori A. Johnson, LAJ Photos, Phoenix, lajphotos.com