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Butterfly Face
Sep 21, 2020 15:16:24   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
I walk the yard a few times daily looking for specimens and I checked the sticky flystrip that I hang by the door and I found this little brown butterfly that had gotten stuck to it quite some time ago. I picked it off and brought it in for a focus stacking session at 5X magnification focusing on its facial features.


(Download)

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Sep 21, 2020 20:18:58   #
kpmac Loc: Ragley, La
 
Another fine job, sippy.

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Sep 21, 2020 20:46:50   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
kpmac wrote:
Another fine job, sippy.


Thanks ever so much, Kpmac.

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Sep 22, 2020 06:50:41   #
docshark Loc: Millersville, PA
 
There are those eyes again. Nice shot Gary!
>i<Doc

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Sep 22, 2020 08:27:23   #
ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA
 
Nice one - any idea about the coloration in the eyes?

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Sep 22, 2020 08:30:40   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
sippyjug104, why would you not go to a program like PortraitPro to make the face as beautiful as the wings. To say that this is a face only a mother could love... well i asked a few mothers and they have said no.

It is an authentic well-documented photo example of stacking; no question it is. Beauty NO.

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Sep 22, 2020 09:18:16   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
ecobin wrote:
Nice one - any idea about the coloration in the eyes?


Thanks, Elliott. Their eyes lose their dark color when expired as time passes and when it does it reveals the pattern of the eye structure which gives it the marbling appearance. A preserved insects eyes can be restored in color with a bit of household ammonia and water although these eyes are ever so tiny and the butterfly is so fragile that trying to restore them could ruin the specimen.

I keep the butterflies and moths in a cardboard box with mothballs to help preserve them.

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Sep 22, 2020 09:20:04   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
docshark wrote:
There are those eyes again. Nice shot Gary!
>i<Doc


Thanks, Doc. Of course it is not a fresh specimen so the eyes have lost their dark color although as time goes on it reveals a marbling which is interesting in a different way.

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Sep 22, 2020 09:30:59   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
dpullum wrote:
sippyjug104, why would you not go to a program like PortraitPro to make the face as beautiful as the wings. To say that this is a face only a mother could love... well i asked a few mothers and they have said no.

It is an authentic well-documented photo example of stacking; no question it is. Beauty NO.


Thanks for viewing and for the recommendation. My specimens that I preserve in denatured alcohol stay in good shape for years and their eyes do not dry and fade. The butterflies and moths are expired when I find them for I do not collect them as live specimens. The moths mostly get stuck on the flystrip by the door as they are attracted by the porch light and I find little butterflies after storms and on the radiator of the car which is a great place to find specimens.

I try to do as little post processing work as possible. Mostly clone out the mounting pin if it shows and pick off some distracting crud that I couldn't get cleaned before staging. I did not want to darken the eyes for I did not want to lose any of the detail of the compound facets and the marbling effect.

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