Member Monday Featuring John Kapusnick
John Kapusnick takes us on a trip with him to Butterfly World! If you’ve ever tried to capture the monarch, they can be quite fluttery and flighty. So to find one so still, this close up, is impressive! For over 40 years, John has been exploring the world through the camera. His primary subjects include nature, florals, and landscapes. Enjoy John Kapusnick’s Member Monday!
About the Photo
I took this photo while on vacation, we took a side trip to Butterfly World in Coconut Creek Florida. I saw this butterfly lite on several flowers but did not have a clear view because of the crowds. I “staked out” this flower and waited for the butterfly to return. It only stopped for a moment but I was ready and got the shot. It flew off almost immediately and I did not see it return to these flowers again. I was originally drawn to the combination of colors of the butterfly and the flowers against the habitat wall.
Gear and Software
I used a Nikon D800 and an SB800 flash with a diffuser dome. The camera settings were F/11, 1/200 sec. ISO250, 120mm. I had not discovered RAW yet so this was shot in JEPG fine. The post-processing was done in Photoshop.
Photography Preferences
There are two reasons this is one of my favorite photos. I feel there is a tension in the frame which leads me to feel like the butterfly is about to fly away, rather then just resting on the flower. he combination of colors is also very special to me. This is the reason I wanted to take the photo when I first saw the butterfly on that flower.
Photography Inspiration
I took this photo before I was a member of KelbyOne but this photo is one of the reasons I joined KelbyOne. I was new to photoshop and purchased Photoshop magazine whenever I saw it in the bookshop. I referenced several issued during post-processing and was so impressed with the final result that I bought every issue of Photoshop magazine I could find. When the hard copy publication stopped, I immediately joined KelbyOne.
Favorite KelbyOne Class
So many great courses, but in the past year the one that stands out is Scott’s course on travel: “Travel Photography Capturing the Essence of a City”. I travel with family, usually on tours, and have limited time to take the shot. Scott’s pragmatic approach was an “ah ha” moment for me. I now take time to pre-plan some shots before I travel and look for the “non-postcard” shots. Having a lot more fun.
You can also head over to John’s Facebook and website to see his full portfolio of work! We love to see the passion you all have for your craft.
Join us again next week for another photographer feature!
