A Butterfly
ISO 500 | 1/200sec | f/7.1 | 100mm | EOS 60D
As they say, a butterfly is an insect, a moth, or a small, delicate creature with wings. But to me, it goes beyond that. I consider the butterfly as something that conveys meaning in the entirety of its life cycle. Starting out as an egg, then transformed into a caterpillar, then into a pupa, and finally, into the so-called butterfly. In the process of doing so, it can be likened to the life of a person as well. No matter how the changes are, at the end of it, the cycle repeats itself.
The photo above was taken during my recent nature travel/trip in the highlands of Murcia, Negros Occidental, Philippines. I visited one of the butterfly sanctuaries in the province, and to my awe, I was totally amazed of how the butterflies are enjoying their freedom flying and hopping from flower to flower, and from trees to trees. This was my first time to visit a sanctuary like these, so, along with my camera, I didn’t hesitate to take photos at a distant so that I cannot disturb the environment. I was surprised that though the butterflies were not afraid to people visiting them, in fact, i can sense that they love and enjoy the presence of the people visiting them. I took the opportunity to focus on one of the many butterflies flying around, this shot is the closest as I can get to the butterfly that somehow posed at my camera. I was amazed by how beautiful they are and at the same time, how fragile they are. But then again, butterflies are butterflies. As I go with some rationalizations about butterflies, I would like to share something that I hope, it makes sense:
“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you” (a quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne)
Lovely composition, Rommel!
Thank you very much. It was my first time to capture this kind of thing. Good thing i brought with me the correct lens during the unexpected shoot 🙂