Pausing For Effect

I love togging butterflies but haven't Blipped that many as I think too much prettiness can become boring.

When I snapped this Comma I didn't think the result was going to be pleasing. I usually try to get my bugs at an attractive angle. I thought the butterfly was too foursquare and I try not to get a shots from directly above insects. Frank H Phillips calls this the “shoe view”, or showing the bug as the bottom of your shoe might see it.

However when I saw this on screen I thought it was quite charming. I haven't used flash and my settings have blurred the dead flowers on the buddleia. That's another thing I try to avoid in my bug pics, unsightly dead heads. The out of focus dead blooms tone beautifully with the Comma's colouring and the rest of the background is dreamily pastel so I've decided not to crop, even though the composition is weird.

It's a happy accident. Nice to break the rules sometimes. :)