Valter Binotto (Italy)
Apollo at rest
Every summer, just as he has done for the past 20 years, Valter visits a colony of 50-100 Apollo butterflies in the pre-Alps in the Veneto region of Italy. He keeps the location secret, for fear of butterfly collectors (the species is classified as vulnerable). ‘I admire this butterfly as if she were a queen. When it flies, it’s a show of natural beauty,’ he says. ‘Each butterfly has its own night shelter, and when I go up in the morning, I often find the same butterfly in the same spot.’ On this day, low cloud covered the meadow, and the Apollos were sheltering among the grasses, waiting for the sun to warm them up. ‘It gave me the chance to take a shot to show their beauty, elegance and fragility.’
Nikon D300 + 300mm f2.8 lens + converter; 1/250 sec at f4.8; ISO 320; Gitzo tripod; flash.
