Mike Powell

A simple composition and an ordinary subject—sometimes that is all that it takes to capture a beautiful image. I spotted this little Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The Common Buckeye kept perching on the ground and would fly away a short distance every time that I approached it.

Eventually it perched in the vegetation at the edge of the trail and I was able to capture this image. Although the background is a bit cluttered, it was far enough away that it blurred into a series of shapes that do not distract from the central subject. Yes, the subject is mostly a dull brown in color that most viewers may not find to be very visually pleasing. However, the eyes are really drawn to the orange stripes on the butterfly’s body and then to the interesting shadow that the legs of the butterfly are casting.

For me, there is a real beauty in the simplicity of this photo and I like it a lot. Photography does not always have to be complicated to be effective.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.