One [self-] challenge met!

Common Buckeye, ventral view. My first two posts of a Common Buckeye,
• http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-07-11
• http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-08-10
show the mostly-dark upper wings of this species and I have been trying to capture the much-lighter coloring below the hindwings. The Buckeyes who have been visiting our garden at home have mostly been showing off, resting with wings open. Today, though, I found this Buckeye with wings-up on bright-yellow flowers in a campus garden next to a greenhouse.

I am not entirely satisfied with this image. The yellow flowers seem to amplify the bright, direct sunlight and bias the color and the butterfly was oriented directly toward the sun, so much of the light on the wings in this image is indirect. Whine, whine, whine…

A year ago (“Afternoon at the vineyards”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-08-27

[Elizabeth Youngs]

I think it looks great! Love the focus, details, and dof!

[elaine]

Very nice.

[Nada A.]

What a huge difference between the upper and the hind wings. I think it's lovely.

I think sometime we are our own harshest critics. :)