7.30 pm, August 15th, 2005, the evening which changed my life and damaged my bank balance.
I’d gone to Wheatlands, a wonderful privately owned, but open to the public nature reserve near York.
I had a camera, hardly used and then only on full automatic. I had no idea how to work the wretched thing, it was all a mysterious mystery.
Then Joy showed me an image, still within her camera.
It looked like a blade of grass – until she gradually expanded it, revealing masses of insect eggs. I was HOOKED.
Eventually I learned to use the macro settings.
The world of the tiny opened up to me. I began to SEE when I looked. Things I hadn’t noticed leapt out and screamed for attention. Two months later, on October 14th 2005, I took this photo of a bee feeding on a bramble blossom. I hadn’t realised how exquisitely beautiful a bee’s face is, how complex, the textures, shapes and colours. I was HOOKED.
Then there was the fly blowing a bubble. Why? How did he do it? Do ALL flies do this? What about other insects?
And just exactly which fly, wasp, bee, hoverfly have I captured on camera? Things to learn, books to buy. I was HOOKED.
Over the years, many subjects have claimed my attention & interest, none have snared me in quite the same way, so deeply. Most have been passing fads. This is serious.
I didn’t understand any of the technical twiddly bits. My “technique” was point, click, view, hope, delete – sometimes it even worked. But I had fun, great fun.
Some one told me macro photography is the easiest form. That may well be true, but what a wonderful world is revealed.
I have met delightful people, some in reality, many online. Some have become dear friends, precious beyond words. You know who you are.
Joy had no idea what she was starting that evening, neither did I, but: I AM HOOKED.
Now, several cameras, lenses, books, hours of reading, experimenting, failed attempts to move away from the tiny world later, I have a greater knowledge base, both of photography and insects. I remain frustrated that my images are not as good as I want them to be, frustrated that sometimes my camera can’t/won’t capture what I want it to. But still my interest prevails, my desire to learn more, to understand why, how, what continues to grow.
I AM HOOKED
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“Butterflies adorn the world and delight the eye”
John Ray (17th century naturalist)
This sky where we live
Is no place to lose your wings.
So love, love, love.
Hafiz حافظ

Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member is afflicted with pain,
Other members uneasy will remain.
If you have no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain.
Saadi

“Of one Essence is the human race,
thus has Creation put the base;
One Limb impacted is sufficient
For all Others to feel the Mace ”
—Saadi (1184–1283)

“There is only one sacred manuscript, the sacred manuscript of Nature, which alone can enlighten the reader.” Hazrat Inayat Khan

All profits from my sales will be donated to Butterfly Conservation.

My Images Do Not Belong To The Public Domain. All images and writing are copyright © jesika 2011. All Rights Reserved. Copying, altering, displaying or redistribution of any of these images without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.