Da silva et al 2014 - marvel and dc characters inspired by insects
Insects of Europe - an FRPS Panel - Home - RPSrps.org/Insects of... · During this time, my ......
Transcript of Insects of Europe - an FRPS Panel - Home - RPSrps.org/Insects of... · During this time, my ......
My�interest�with�insects�goes�back�a�long�time.�It�began�during�a�holiday�back�to�my�native
village�in�the�mountains�of�Northern�Italy,�on�afamily�day�out,�high�up�in�the�mountain�meadows.While�my�family�and�I�were�having�a�picnic�amongstthe�glorious�Alpine�flora�that�surrounded�us,�I�beganto�notice�that�the�land�was�alive�with�hundreds�ofbutterflies.��At�that�moment�a�Parnassius�Apollosettled�on�a�flower�next�to�me�and�I�couldn’t�resisttaking�a�closer�look�at�this�stunning�insect�busilyfeeding�on�a�flower�head.��Why�it�landed�there,�soclose�to�me,�on�such�an�uninteresting�flower,�I�willnever�know,�but�from�the�moment�it�glided�awaycontinuing�its�journey�I�was�hooked.��Anyone�whoknows�the�Apollo�can�appreciate�my�wonder�at�howstunning�it�looks.��To�me�it�is�still�the�most�beautifulbutterfly�in�the�world.��
My�old�Canon�FTB�now�had�a�new�role.��Instead�offamily�pictures�it�now�had�to�capture�butterflies,later�followed�by�Moths,�then�flowers�and�otherinsects.��Slowly�over�the�coming�years�I�updated�myequipment�and�took�many�pictures�of�insects�andflowers�but�mostly�they�were�for�records.��I�nevertook�photography�very�seriously.��It�was�just�a�veryentertaining�hobby.
Insects of Europe -an FRPS Panelby Gianpiero Ferrari
May Chafer taking off
Leptura rubra
Stag Beetles confrontation
In�the�early�ninety’s�I�went�to�see�one�of�MartinWithers�FRPS�presentations�on�African�wildlife.��Allthose�spectacular,�clean�and�crisp�images�of�life�onthe�Savannah�had�a�big�impact�on�my�photography.Martin�had�an�almost�superhuman�eye�forcomposition.��In�those�photos�he�presented�he�wasable�to�capture�the�essence�of�the�creatures�in�theirhabitat.��He�was�a�true�artist�with�a�camera.��I�wasthen,�and�always�will�be,�in�awe�of�his�work,�howeverat�the�time�all�I�could�think�was�“I�have�to�startimproving�my�photography”.
Martin�lived�only�3�miles�away�from�my�home,�soafter�meeting�we�soon�became�very�good�friends.Initially�Martin�was�more�a�mentor�from�whom�Ilearned�a�lot.��With�Martin�as�my�teacher,�mysubjects�extended�to�include�birds,�mammals�andfungi,�amongst�other�things,�but�more�importantly�Ilearned�to�pay�more�attention�to�details�likecomposition,�background�and�light�conditions.��AsMartin�was�fond�of�saying�‘quality�is�more�importantthan�quantity’.��During�this�time,�my�photographymust�have�had�improved,�because�Martin�suggestedI�join�the�RPS.��Two�years�later�I�successfully�appliedfor�my�ARPS�with�a�mixed�panel�of�Birds,�Butterflies,Moths,�Fungi�and�Orchids.��At�this�point�I�hadintended�to�stop.�My�ambitions�had�been�achievedeven�more�than�I�had�originally�expected�myself.
Following�my�retirement,�and�with�more�time�on�myhands,�photography�was�becoming�more�and�moreimportant�to�me.��Until�this�time�most�of�myholidays�had�been�taken�in�Europe�but�now�Istarted�travelling�further�afield�with�my�closestfriends�Martin�Withers�and�John�Tinning,�visitingAfrica,�USA�and�Australia.��It�was�during�this�last�tripto�Australia�that�Martin�began�to�suffer�from�illhealth.��On�his�return�he�was�subsequentlydiagnosed�with�Motor-Neurone�disease.�Hedeteriorated�very�quickly,�becoming�very�frail�andhouse�bound.��Thankfully�his�friendship�and�advicenever�stopped.
One�of�his�last�requests�of�me�was�to�apply�for�myFellowship.��Not�really�considering�my�work�to�beanywhere�near�the�standard�of�someone�like�him,my�reply�was,�as�you�can�imagine,�“You�must�bejoking.”�(with�a�few�expletives).��However�he�insisted,telling�me�that�I�had�a�special�feeling�with�insectsand�numerous�good�pictures�and�I�should�applywith�an�insect�panel.�Still�unsure�whether�I�was�upto�it,�he�gave�me�the�condition�that�I�either�do�itnow�while�he�still�had�energy�and�time�to�help,�or�I
Small Skipper - mating pair
Map Butterfly feeding on Forget-me-not
Darwin’s Heath on Bladder Campion
Camberwell Beauty feeding on ripened figs
do�it�by�myself�later.��It�was�an�opportunity�toogood�to�refuse�and�with�that�final�push�and�furtherencouragement�from�John�I�began�digging�throughmy�archives�of�pictures.
From�the�many�photos�in�my�records��(it�was�here�Iwas�reminded�of�Martin’s�words�about�quality�notquantity),�I�selected�one�hundred�of�my�favouritepictures.��A�mix�of�butterflies,�moths,�beetles,spiders,�grasshoppers,�dragonflies,�wasps.�Martinstraight�away�reduced�them�to�fifty.��The�next�stepwas�to�further�reduce�the�selection.��But�how?��Theywere�all�my�favourite�pictures�and�I�could�notdecide�between�one�or�another.�So�I�enlisted�thehelp�of�John,�who�also�helped�me�to�compose�mystatement�of�intent�for�the�panel.��From�the�fifty,John,�Martin�and�myself�selected�our�best�twenty,and�compared�which�were�the�most�popularamongst�us.��To�do�this�we�had�to�really�analyse�thephoto�in�its�minute�details:�sharpness,�realisticcolour�and�composition.��After�this�process,�I�endedup�with�the�magic�number�of�35�pictures.��Notmuch�progress�after�all.
Next�I�researched�previous�submissions,�to�see�whatcould�be�learned.��The�results�were�discouraging.There�were�only�a�handful�of�successful�insectpanels�in�the�ARPS,�but�nothing�recent�for�aFellowship.��It�seems�most�FRPS�successes�comingfrom�birds,�mammals�or�mixed�panels.
Still�not�convinced�an�insect�panel�will�be�strongenough�for�a�Fellowship,�I�decided�to�send�myselections�to�Richard�Revel�to�see�if�my�pictureswere�up�to�the�FRPS�standard.��Richard�gave�mesound�advice�saying�my�work�was�good�enough�andincluded�very�interesting�subject�matter.��This�wasas�much�as�he�could�advise�without�prejudicing�hisposition.��The�rest�was�up�to�me,�which�pictures�Iwould�choose�and�how�I�compose�the�panel.
Finally�I�decided�on�30�pictures�and�printed�them.Using�these,�I�started�to�put�together�the�bestcombination�for�a�successful�panel�moving�thepictures�around�like�a�jigsaw�puzzle,�aiming�to�followthe�statement�of�intent,�discarding�the�ones�that�didnot�fit�and�again�enlisting�advice�from�the�DynamicDuo�of�Martin�and�John.�Reluctantly�I�even�had�todiscard�the�photo�of�the�love�of�my�life,�the�Apollo.
My�final�panel�was�put�together�with�a�variety�ofinsects�showing�behaviour,�colours,�matings�and
10The Iris - Winter 2013
Feathered Thorn Moth
Spanish Moon Moth
Eurranthis plummistaria
camouflage�in�their�habitat.���With�my�final�20pictures�chosen,�framed�and�completed,�it�was�onlynow�that�I�felt�proud�with�the�results�of�my�workwhether�it�got�me�the�Fellowship�or�not.
Unfortunately�I�could�not�attend�the�assessmentday�due�to�family�commitments.��However�on�thefollowing�day�I�received�a�phone�call�from�Martin.The�words�he�used�were�“Congratulation�you�arenow�a�photographer�with�a�capital�F.”
All�I�can�suggest�to�any�photographer�who�wouldlike�to�try�for�a�Fellowship�distinction,�is�do�not�beafraid�to�ask�for�advice.��The�pictures�for�the�panelare�yours�but�advice�is�priceless.�It’s�the�best�thingyou�will�ever�get�for�free.
My�success�is,�in�part,�thanks�to�the�help�and�advicefrom�my�good�friends.��But�without�Martin’s�motivation,encouragement�and�request,�it�would�never�havehappened.��I�dedicate�my�Fellowship�to�his�memory.�
More�of�Gianpiero’s�images�can�be�seen�on�theback�cover�of�this�issue.
Statement of Intent
The images in my panel are intended to illustrate
the exquisite beauty of the European insect fauna
and some aspects of its fascinating behaviour.
Even within this comparatively small selection of
twenty species, insects display a huge variety of
different forms, colours and life cycles. Insects
have evolved many complex adaptations to their
habitat: they make use of their form and colour to
attract and win mates, camouflage themselves,
utilise warning colouration to frighten away
enemies and deflect potential attacks away from
vulnerable areas of their bodies. Many species
have become very specialized, relying on particular
plants for their food or reproductive cycle. I have
tried to include within my submission examples of
some of the most aesthetically pleasing insects,
actively engaged in interesting natural behaviour,
where they would normally occur.
11The Iris - Winter 2013
Images from Gianpiero Ferrari’s Fellowship Panel
Top: Red Assassin Bug
Above: Queen of Spain Fritillary
Below: Pale Prominent Moth camouflage
Top right: Narrow-bordered 5 Spot Burnet
Bottom right: Small White mating pair