Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) were definitely enjoying this patch of Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) when I spotted them last Saturday at Riverbend Park. The butterfly in the foreground is a dark morph female and I believe the one in the background is a male. One of the cool things about Eastern Tiger Swallowtails is that females come in two varieties, one with coloration close to that of the male and one with the dark colors that you see in the image below.
This image is a a pretty straightforward presentation of a fairly common subject, but there is something about the composition that I really like. Maybe it’s the contrasting colors or the overlapping shapes. Who knows? So often I like what I like without being able to articulate the precise reasons why.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
The composition is remarkable Mike. I was keen to try figuring out why I like it.. the dark morph butterfly is stunning with a beautiful wingspread in great condition, and positioned at a pleasing angle, almost like it’s posed for you. The other butterfly is angled in a contrasting direction which could probably be described as asymmetric(?). It’s incredible to me that you’ve got a dark morph and a ‘normal’ on their own and positioned so perfectly. You’d think the arrangment is intentional like a floral arrangement, and yet obviously not!
Thanks so much, Liz, for going through the process of explaining your thoughts and feelings about the image. As I have mentioned before, there is an inherent tension between the notion that our perception of beauty is individual, i.e. “in the eyes of the beholder,” and the idea that beauty is universal. With a subject like butterflies, more people are likely to find the image beautiful than if the primary subject were a snake or a spider.
This is a positively exquisite photograph! The background coloration blends nicely with the focus on the butterflies, so naturally displayed on the delicate flower of the Joe Pye Weed. There is a bit of a contrast in that the male appears quite worn and tattered, while the female is pristine. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!
Thanks, Ellen. You obviously looked quite closely at the photo to notice the contrast in the condition of the two butterflies in addition to the more obvious differences in color.
My powers of observation come from watching Benjamin peer closely at the enlarged photos to discover the details. It has become second nature to read, then enlarge and then look for what may not be so obvious at first glance. One is never to old to learn! Thank-you, Mr. Mike!