# Monarch Caterpillar **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** macro-close-up\ **Created:** [June 30, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730 "2021-06-30T14:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![terryb](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/terryb/32/39625_2.png) [@terryb](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/terryb)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/1 "2021-06-30T14:46:36Z")
![Monarch Caterpillar](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/7/1/71d2bd63647a3fccd22998be1689349463dd8c6c.jpeg) I spotted my first one of the year a few days ago. This one is munching on Swamp Milkweed in one of my flower beds. ### Specific Feedback Requested Any ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No Canon 60D Canon 70–300mm IS USM @ 225mm f/9.5 1/180 sec. ISO 2000 Hand Held Processed in ACR and PSE 2020 for exposure and cropping. Topaz De-noise applied. ###### ![_MG_9302-Monarch Caterpillar](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/5/4/54a981ba5341f9bcc619dca51966c817860c6321.jpeg) With changes suggested by Shirley. ![_MG_9302-Monarch Caterpillar](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/8/b/8b7cccf77a248867e892c2641c7a09dfbe18530b.jpeg) UL of image repaired per Diane’s observation. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/2 "2021-06-30T15:05:20Z")
Terry, what a great find and capture. The colors are really nice. I would love to see one of these and be able to photograph it. Such a great image that I feel I am being nit picking to even mention any changes to be offered, but that point of the leaf on the right side, if it were mine, I might try to clone out, or blur it some. And maybe even crop in just slightly from the right to eliminate that tiny portion of stem that is near the bottom right. These are just minor things. If this was my image, I would be thrilled with it as is! The caterpillar is in nice sharp focus from one end of him to the other! Great shot! ---
**Author:** ![terryb](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/terryb/32/39625_2.png) [@terryb](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/terryb)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/3 "2021-06-30T15:36:11Z")
Ha! I KNEW someone was going to mention eliminating that leaf point! I didn’t notice it until after I had posted the photo. I made the changes and will repost. Thanks! I didn’t get into the Monarch craze until Covid came along, but I’m sue glad I did. Going out and searching for and finding caterpillars is like an Easter egg hunt when I was a kid, only better! It’s really very easy. If you plant it, they will come… ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/4 "2021-06-30T22:31:10Z")
Nice find! Wonderful colors on this guy. I like your RP in that you also removed the partial leaf in the LR. My eye gets pulled toward the UL more than I like – I wonder about a crop from the top to eliminate the new growth there. These guys look like they eat their weight in food every day. ---
**Author:** ![terryb](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/terryb/32/39625_2.png) [@terryb](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/terryb)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/5 "2021-06-30T23:30:12Z")
Thanks, @Diane_Miller . I agree concerning the UL of the image, so I tried cropping it, but it seems to me it interrupts the flow of the image. So, I removed it. Does this work? And yes, these little rascals are voracious. I am always amazed at how much they can eat in a day’s time. ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/6 "2021-06-30T23:42:31Z")
That works for me! Good work, but with 2 tiny glitches on the top border. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Leroy](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@David\_Leroy](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Leroy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:26am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/monarch-caterpillar/22730/7 "2021-07-01T00:26:30Z")
It certainly looks like this fellow has been doing a job on the milkweed. Nice and sharp and really good colors. I like the placement in the frame. Each subtle change adds to an already really nice image. And good for you to plant milkweed.