A Butterfly Bonanza

BY SUZANNE WILLIAMS

Some years I can't recall seeing many butterflies. Other years I will see mostly one particular species. I am always grateful for seeing any butterfly at all. Well, I don't know if it's the weather this year, my new location, or just personal magnetism (which I seriously doubt) but this year I am having a real bonanza. It helps, of course, that I took the time this past spring to plant the flowers that would attract them. It also helps that I leave the caterpillars alone and allow them to eat my plants down to a nub. Whatever the reason, I have enough photographs this year to fill a very large book.

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Photographing butterflies is mostly a matter of patience. It takes patience to wait for the butterfly to settle on the flower and patience to choose the right camera angle. Here in Florida, you have to add patience to stand in the midday sun sweating profusely and somehow not make any startling movements. I have done a lot of that this year!

There are camera settings that work better for butterflies. Certain species of butterflies move faster than others. Black swallowtails are notorious for continual movement of their wings, even when they are feeding, and most Sulphur butterflies are rarely ever still. For these, I often use Shutter Priority, and set the shutter speed for what will best stop the action of the wings. In the photographs below I used 1/1000 second. However, I also moved my ISO up to 200 since the fast shutter speed would give me less light in the scene. These small yellow butterflies were in constant motion, flitting around and around each other. I wanted to somehow capture the essence of their activity as well as the different markings on the upper portion of the wings.

In Flight, Sleepy Orange Sulphur Butterflies

The biggest composition rule for photographing butterflies involves paying attention to the shape and size of the butterfly. It is usually best to get all of the butterfly, the entire wing structure and any tails or antennae, in the image. A clipped wing, for instance, can be very distracting to the viewer. Also, typically, I like to use a larger aperture in butterfly photographs. This softens any distracting background elements and isolates the subject.

For a pleasing butterfly photograph you must choose the right camera angle! In most of my butterfly photographs I either try for a perpendicular "underside" wing shot, as seen in the photo below, or a view of the top side of the wings when they are fully opened. This view will again try your patience because it is seen less often. The camera angle that does not usually work in a butterfly photograph is the view looking straight at the front of the butterfly, especially when the butterfly has its wings closed. Because they are thin, this view leaves nothing for the viewer to really see.

Gray Hairstreak Butterfly

Last week, I talked about those photographic moments where you find you have photographed something you've never seen before. This next photo was one of those moments for me. I spotted this butterfly feeding in my front flowerbeds, and at first thought it was a Gulf Fritillary, which I see often. At second glance, I realized it was smaller in size and not as orange as its cousin.

What a thrill! It really reiterates last week's words. You never really know what you'll come across, or what you'll see, from day-to-day that will inspire you. For me right now it's butterflies!

Varigated Fritillary Butterfly

If you'd like to view more of this year's photographs, you can visit My Webshots.

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Suzanne Williams Photography
My Blogger
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Elements of Successful Fiction Series

Using Homes as a Tool in Fiction

By Debbie Roome

Welcome to the last part of this series where we’ll be looking at homes. Everybody has a place to call home whether it be a spot under a bridge, an upmarket condo or simply a room. I saw a snatch of a dating reality show recently, where the girl had a chance to explore the bedrooms of three prospective dates. The idea was that she would learn something about their characters by looking at their living space. In a similar way, the introduction of a home into fiction should reveal something to the reader.

Make a List of Types of Home
Stretch your imagination and write a list of at least twenty kinds of homes. Here are a few to get you thinking:

· Bungalows
· Chalets
· Pole and dagga huts
· Boats
· Tents
· Palaces

The type of home your character lives in depends on many factors such as location, wealth, personal taste and circumstances. Be sure to consider all these before creating a home.

What are Homes Constructed from
Homes are built from a wide variety of materials. Think of the western world where most people live in houses constructed from wood or brick with glass windows. In other parts of the world, common materials include stone, mud, grass, prefabricated panels and canvas.

What is in the Home
Once you have decided on the exterior, set about designing the interior. What type of artwork, carpeting, furnishings and drapes suit your fictional character? Would she prefer modern, retro, classic or plain quirky? Is her home filled with potted plants and caged birds or does she prefer sculptures and overstuffed chairs? What about an eccentric dowager whose home is a shrine to Elvis Presley?

Homes Reflect Wealth and Status
The size and location of a home are generally a reflection of a person’s position in society. A king lives in a palace and a beggar in Calcutta lives in a slum. Make sure the home is appropriate for the character.

Ensure the Home Reveals Character
Decide whether it should be pin neat or untidy with piles of papers and a messy kitchen. Are there dusty attics and secret rooms or is the main feature a magnificent library where books surround a favorite chair?

Using a Home to Advance the Plot
Items in the house can be used to move the story along or create intrigue. Think along the lines of stolen jewels hidden in the cellar or someone’s bones in the chimney. Is there an ancient letter caught in the roof that will transform someone’s life? What about a weakness in the design of the home or a flaw in the heating system?

Recommended Reading
John Grisham’s Painted House is an excellent example of using a home in fiction. It tells the story of a house that was never painted because of the cost and what happened when a child decided it needed painting.

A house is an expression of the people that live within it and can be used powerfully in fiction. Don’t dump your characters in a nondescript suburban box if a beach cottage is more conducive to the story – try out different ideas and as your character comes to life, you will know what type of dwelling suits them.

Elements of Successful Fiction - Part 1
Elements of Successful Fiction - Part 2

Elements of Successful Fiction - Part 3

Debbie Roome works as a freelance writer from her home in New Zealand. Visit her at Debbie Roome or read some of her work at Suite 101 , Take Root and Write and Faithwriters.

Photo Assignment #5: Critters

Did the action photo get you stumped last week? I'm still waiting on that hummingbird to appear. We put up the feeder this weekend, and we've seen them several times - just never when I have my camera handy!

Be sure to visit our Pix-N-Pens photo album at Photobucket (password inspired) to view the beautiful photos being submitted! And to share your own adventures.

This week's assignment:

I love photographing and viewing photos of God's creation. So this week, get out and take some photos of His critters, and join me in thanking Him for His creativity!

Then, submit your best photo of the week over at our Pix-N-Pens album and invite your friends to come check out all the entries.

We Have a Winner!

Last week's special guest judge, Adam Blumer, chose Seema Bagai's short story, "The Unexpected Ride," as winner of our contest.

Adam - thanks for judging the entries and providing comments to all the authors - we appreciate your time and effort very much!

Congratulations, Seema! You'll receive a copy of Adam's debut novel Fatal Illusions.

As promised, here is Seema's story, for your reading pleasure.

The Unexpected Ride
By Seema Bagai

The bang startled Katherine. “What was that?” As the car shook, she gripped the steering wheel and maneuvered to the side of Highway 1. Turning off the ignition, she stepped out to investigate. Her tan pumps crunched in the gravel.

Great. A flat tire. Not today. She slid back into the driver’s seat and reached for her phone. No bars. She folded her arms, and stared at the cloudless sky.

“I thought you wanted me to attend this thing. Now what?” The crashing ocean waves below the deserted highway provided the only reply. Bodega Bay was miles behind and Katherine was unsure of the distance to her destination. A glance at the printed directions inside the invitation offered no clues. She fingered the ivory envelope with her name and address printed in calligraphy.

Within seconds, a pick-up truck pulled up. From the rear view mirror, Katherine glimpsed a neatly dressed man approach. She reached over to make sure the doors were locked.

“Can I help you?” He smiled and pointed to the tire.

Katherine hesitated as she studied the stranger. He doesn’t look like a rapist. Then again, they look like everyone else.

“I can change the flat.”

Squeezing her phone, Katherine cracked open the window. “Thank you.”

“Sure. Pop the trunk and I’ll get the spare. Within seconds, he called out. “Bad news. The spare’s gone.” As he returned, he said, “Gualala is the next town. I could drop you off at a mechanic’s. Someone can bring you back with a tire.”

Katherine glanced at her watch. I’ll be late.

“Where are you headed?” He smiled.

“The lighthouse at Point Arena. A wedding.”

“Me, too. The Powell and Franklin wedding, right? How about if we attend the wedding and afterwards we can see about fixing your car?”

She flinched for a second and nodded. “I hope it’s no trouble.” She straightened her suit, followed the man to his truck, and climbed in.

“No trouble. My name’s Josh.”

She reached out to shake his extended hand and realized she was still gripping the phone, which she dropped into her lap before returning the greeting. “I’m Katherine. Thank you so much.” She smiled as she felt her shoulders relax. She looked past Josh at the gorgeous view of the ragged northern California coast.

“Have you been to the lighthouse before?” Josh asked.

“No. I'm from Illinois. I flew in to San Francisco last night. It's my first time in California.”

“I've been to lots of weddings up there. The place is beautiful. Tom and Chloe chose a great place to get married.”

“Are you on the bride or groom's side?”

“Both.” When she shot him a puzzled look, Josh added, “I'm their pastor and the one performing the ceremony. What about you?”

Katherine flipped her purse over and over in her lap and bit her lower lip. “Groom,” she whispered. “I haven’t seen him in a long time, though.”

“Tom never mentioned being in the Midwest, and you said you’ve never been to California.” Josh paused, hoping his passenger would fill in the blanks. After minutes of silence, he added, “I don’t mean to pry. I’m just curious how you know Tom. I’ve known him for years.”

“Um, well.” Katherine hoped to preserve her makeup from being smudged by the tears pooling beneath her closed eyelids. She fumbled in her bag for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she blurted, “He’s my son.”

“Wow. I should have figured it out. Tom said his birth mother’s name was Katie. He’s talked about you before, but didn’t say you were coming.”

“It’s a surprise. I’ve kept in touch with Josephine and Marcus over the years. They would send pictures and I’ve even talked to Tom on the phone and sent cards. He asked me to come to his graduations. They wanted me to meet him in person, but I always made excuses. Then I received the wedding invitation, and, after a lot of thinking and praying, I felt like it was time.”

“Why have you waited so long?”

“I was sixteen when I met Tom’s biological father. He was performing card tricks on a street corner in Chicago. One afternoon, he took me to get a pop and we talked and talked. He said he wanted to become the next Houdini. After that day, I would watch him every day after school. Sometimes we’d go to his apartment. He told me he loved me, but one day he forced me to…”

She dug her fingernails into the leather purse and turned to look out her window. Her voice cracked as she continued. “When I found out I was pregnant, I told him and he vanished a week later. The first time I held my baby, I saw his father’s face. Each picture of Tom reminds me of the man who abandoned me.”

“Have you forgiven him? The magician, I mean.”

Katherine nodded. “I have and I’ve asked God’s forgiveness, too.”

“I’m sure Tom and Chloe will be thrilled to finally meet you, and to have you celebrate this day with them.”

“I was going to slip in and out and not tell anyone. But now I don’t have a car, so…”

“Have you also forgiven yourself?”

“What?”

“You’ve flown halfway across the country to attend your son’s wedding and you aren’t even going to tell him you’re there. God has forgiven you, so what makes you think you can hide in shame? Besides, how do you think Tom will feel when he finds out you came and didn’t introduce yourself?”

The remaining miles passed in silence. The lighthouse appeared on the horizon and Josh steered off the highway. Katherine finally said, “You’re right. I need to face everyone and show my happiness for the couple. I’m kind of glad I got the flat tire.”

“It was a God thing,” Josh said as he parked the truck and they headed for the ceremony site.

About the Author:

Seema Bagai is an elementary school teacher and writer in Southern California. She is currently working on a historical fiction novel. Visit her blog.

Blog Tour: Who Made You a Princess

I admit - I wasn't too crazy about this book, Who Made You a Princess, in the beginning. Ritzy, glamourous teens are just not my thing, and all the chicky stuff (designers, etc) just flew over this tomboy's head. But I kept reading, reminding myself I'm just a bit older, ahem, than the target audience for this book. Author Shelley Adina created characters I wanted to know more about, and provided enough twists and turns that I couldn't put it down even if I'd wanted to. One scene made me so mad I wanted to clobber one of the characters, and found myself praying for the broken heart of another! But the ending was one of the most satisfying endings I've ever read. I highly recommend this book - for any age. (And now I've got to hunt up the others in the series!)

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Who Made You a Princess

FaithWords (May 13, 2009)

by

Shelley Adina

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.

Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.

The All About Us book series has its own home over on the Hachette website. Stop by and see what the five fabulous girls at Spencer Acadenmy are up to! Series Website.

Her other books in this series includes book one, It's All About Us, Book Two, The Fruit of my Lipstick, and book three, Be Strong & Curvaceous. This present book is book four.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Shani Hanna returns to SpencerAcademy for her senior year after an amazing summer spent with her friends Lissa, Gillian, and Carly. But the best part about summer was meeting Danyel Johnstone. Danyel is cute, smart, cool, and super nice. All Shani has to do is get him to see her as more than just one of the gang.

But when the girls return to school, they find a new addition to the distinguished student body: Prince Rashid al Amir of Yasir, an oil-rich desert kingdom in the Middle East. Prince Rashid moved to California to prepare for an eventual MBA at Stanford ... and to romance his future wife: Shani Hanna!

It turns out, Shani's family and the prince's go back for generations, entwined in tradition, obligation, and family honor. In each generation, members of the two families have expanded their business interests through arranged marriage. Will Shani put aside her feelings for Danyel to pursue her family's wishes? Or will God answer her prayers for an intervention?

To read the first chapter of Who Made You a Princess , click HERE.