Canan Karatekin
August 2026 - Wabi Sabi Butterfly
Original
About the Image(s)
When I saw this comma (?) butterfly, I immediately thought "wabi sabi." I was really taken by how worn out its wings were by time and how it was still going about its business despite the lack of youthful beauty and a full set of wings. I wanted to capture the exquisiteness of its imperfection. I stalked it for several minutes, because it kept landing in positions that were awkward to photograph. Fortunately, it kept working the same flower bush, and I finally got a picture I was happy with when it was parallel to the camera.
Hand-held Fuji X-T5 camera, Fuji 80mm/f2.8 macro lens, on-camera Godox V1 flash, Cygnustech diffuser.
f/22, 1/250 sec, ISO 400
Processed with DxO Photolab, Topaz sharpening, Nik Color Efex, and Photoshop.
11 comments posted
Canan, The butterfly is absolutely exquisite. The detail is tack sharp, and the small white flowers are slightly blurred, bringing my focus right to Wabi Sabi. The antennae and legs are so delicate, but again, in perfect focus. Beautiful. Posted: 08/03/2026 23:47:44
Thank you, Cindy :-) Posted: 08/04/2026 19:36:37
Fabulous image, and the title is perfect. People usually try to get the perfect butterfly, but this butterfly has a much more compelling story. Being a butterfly isn't as easy as it looks, as we can see by the tattered wings. But it persists! Thank you for posting an image with so much feeling and story. Posted: 08/05/2026 21:18:09
Thank you very much, Jennifer. Yes, sometimes it is good to be reminded that not everything is perfect and that there can still be beauty in the imperfect. Posted: 08/06/2026 15:28:32
Beautiful, aging butterfly! Hopefully eggs have been laid - and caterpillars will emerge. At first glance I thought this was an old leaf. It has that appearance to me. Sharp image! I looked up comma butterfly - and your image has that color palate. Posted: 08/07/2026 13:24:35
Thanks, Steven. Yes, hopefully, it has produced offspring. And yes, I love how they mimic the natural environment around them! Posted: 08/07/2026 15:33:04
Congratulations, you worked to get this image. You did some very good processing. I don't know what you did in each program, but it is not the process but the final image that matters. I have no idea what to suggest That might improve the image. Posted: 08/09/2026 19:22:28
Thank you, Chan. I do a lot of things in post-processing--it would take almost an hour to list every single one. In general, it takes about 5-10 minutes total to process each image. But if there's anything specific you'd like to know, just ask! Yes, it's the final image that matters :-) Posted: 08/09/2026 20:36:21
Thank you, Chan. I do a lot of things in post-processing--it would take almost an hour to list every single one. In general, it takes about 5-10 minutes total to process each image. But if there's anything specific you'd like to know, just ask! Yes, it's the final image that matters :-) Posted: 08/09/2026 20:36:22
I am impressed by the sharpness and the colors, and you got some real butterfly behavior too. A trifecta. Nothing to add except I love it. Posted: 08/11/2026 00:41:37
Thanks a lot, Will :-) Posted: 08/11/2026 02:23:59