As a former entomologist who nearly died from the arthropod-borne disease I was working with, I have a negative bias toward insect photos. However, I'm making an exception; your photo is extraordinary!
The emotional punch that your photo conveys is right up there with the best photos I've seen and judged. The clarity of detail in both the flower and the butterfly is truly wonderful. The mix of colors is breath-taking. And you have avoided the temptation to center your subject. I feel my eyes being led in a particular direction, regardless of where they start.
The use of a white background is at the same time very simple and very tricky. Your use of it has given the photo an almost painting-like quality to it. Keep up this wonderful work!
I have only one BIG COMPLAINT!! why is this photo not offered as print for sale? Such a beautiful image. My very first reaction was to look for the "Order Print" button. Connie you actually have several images that I would love to hang around the house.
Congrats on an excellent image. You always seem to have the ability to "see" the world around you. Your insight into what can be done to create a wondorous experience for the viewer is extrordinary.
As I already said in the early comments - this is the best photo I have seen on DP Challenge. Could you share what kind of portable light you used for the highlighting. Congrats on your placement.
I always bring bugs & things into the house....lol
I had the vase and background already in place. (My background is a white stretchy material that I tack up tightly over the window with the sun coming in from behind.) You can use a handheld light to highlight the front of your subjects also. I gently put the butterfly on the flower. The butterfly will walk around on the flower and sometimes it will fly off but in most cases it will fly to a window so it's easy to get them and set back on the flower. When I am done I release them unharmed. I also use a small child’s net to catch things. Net is under $3.00 at wal-mart...
P.S it helps to a have a little patience when photographing small critters :)
Congratulations, you are a very talented woman.
All you need is another RED ribbon for a Triple Triple on your ribbons.
I wish you a speedy recovery......
Very beautiful. Love the focus and the colors and the fact you captured this in a single photo and for the challenge. Now, this is going to sound strange coming from me, knowing my love for the perfect white background (which you've defintely achieved here, but it looks unnatural. I would fully expect some blurred green vegetation in the background. Plus, the angle of the flower and the butterfly on it looks a little strange, too. Regardless, focus and lighting is exquisite. (7)
This is really nice... very professional looking. I like the white background, amazing you got the butterfly to stay for the photo? Is it a real, live butterfly? Very nice macro. The only thing I question would be if there is room to put in the type. Just a little something that might be important for the magazine cover... I'm sure there could be a way though. Nice job! Good luck!
Ahhhhh this is a beautiful shot. My only real complaint is that the photo feels kinda out of place with the studio setup (i.e. white background). The butterfly alone, or the flower alone on the stark white is fine, but with both together my mind wants to know "where's all the grass, trees, and other greenage in the background?"
I like the lighting on this one - it makes for a very airy, ethereal effect that's so appropriate for your subject! Nice balance to the image, as well.
I honestly can't find a single thing wrong with this photo...it's one if not the only photo in the entire challenge that I can acutally see being a magazine cover. Good job. 10.
excellent image the only way I believe is to cut this out an paste it to the white background let me know how you did this I want to give you a 10--thanks again I like your image a lot
It's just a matter of taste, but I don't particularly like the white background. However, this is an awesome shot. Your composition is just wonderful, and lighting couldn't be better. Sharpness is extremely good. Congratulations on a very good shot. 9
very well done. I wonder how you were able to get this shot in front of a perfect white bgr. makes me think it was done in a studio... Maybe the butterfly is part of your personal collection, and the setup is a montage in studio. Makes me wonder... ;-) very good. 10.
Vry very nice picture, excellent composition, colors, but I do not know how you achive this without using computer. for me this looks like shot of the screen and there some job has been done in PS. but I do not want to give you low rate because of the rules! = 10
American Entomologist
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