Insects of Europe - an FRPS Panel

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1 Insects of Europe - an FRPS Panel by Gianpiero Ferrari May Chafer taking off Leptura rubra Stag Beetles confrontation M yinterestwithinsectsgoesbackalongtime. Itbeganduringaholidaybacktomynative villageinthemountainsofnorthernitaly,ona familydayout,highupinthemountainmeadows. WhilemyfamilyandIwerehavingapicnicamongst thegloriousalpineflorathatsurroundedus,ibegan tonoticethatthelandwasalivewithhundredsof butterflies.atthatmomentaparnassiusapollo settledonaflowernexttomeandicouldn tresist takingacloserlookatthisstunninginsectbusily feedingonaflowerhead.whyitlandedthere,so closetome,onsuchanuninterestingflower,iwill neverknow,butfromthemomentitglidedaway continuingitsjourneyiwashooked.anyonewho knowstheapollocanappreciatemywonderathow stunningitlooks.tomeitisstillthemostbeautiful butterflyintheworld. MyoldCanonFTBnowhadanewrole.Insteadof familypicturesitnowhadtocapturebutterflies, laterfollowedbymoths,thenflowersandother insects.slowlyoverthecomingyearsiupdatedmy equipmentandtookmanypicturesofinsectsand flowersbutmostlytheywereforrecords.inever tookphotographyveryseriously.itwasjustavery entertaininghobby.

2 Intheearlyninety siwenttoseeoneofmartin WithersFRPSpresentationsonAfricanwildlife.All thosespectacular,cleanandcrispimagesoflifeon thesavannahhadabigimpactonmyphotography. Martinhadanalmostsuperhumaneyefor composition.inthosephotoshepresentedhewas abletocapturetheessenceofthecreaturesintheir habitat.hewasatrueartistwithacamera.iwas then,andalwayswillbe,inaweofhiswork,however atthetimeallicouldthinkwas Ihavetostart improvingmyphotography. Martinlivedonly3milesawayfrommyhome,so aftermeetingwesoonbecameverygoodfriends. InitiallyMartinwasmoreamentorfromwhomI learnedalot.withmartinasmyteacher,my subjectsextendedtoincludebirds,mammalsand fungi,amongstotherthings,butmoreimportantlyi learnedtopaymoreattentiontodetailslike composition,backgroundandlightconditions.as Martinwasfondofsaying qualityismoreimportant thanquantity.duringthistime,myphotography musthavehadimproved,becausemartinsuggested IjointheRPS.TwoyearslaterIsuccessfullyapplied formyarpswithamixedpanelofbirds,butterflies, Moths,FungiandOrchids.AtthispointIhad intendedtostop.myambitionshadbeenachieved evenmorethanihadoriginallyexpectedmyself. Followingmyretirement,andwithmoretimeonmy hands,photographywasbecomingmoreandmore importanttome.untilthistimemostofmy holidayshadbeentakenineuropebutnowi startedtravellingfurtherafieldwithmyclosest friendsmartinwithersandjohntinning,visiting Africa,USAandAustralia.Itwasduringthislasttrip toaustraliathatmartinbegantosufferfromill health.onhisreturnhewassubsequently diagnosedwithmotor-neuronedisease.he deterioratedveryquickly,becomingveryfrailand housebound.thankfullyhisfriendshipandadvice neverstopped. Oneofhislastrequestsofmewastoapplyformy Fellowship.Notreallyconsideringmyworktobe anywherenearthestandardofsomeonelikehim, myreplywas,asyoucanimagine, Youmustbe joking. (withafewexpletives).howeverheinsisted, tellingmethatihadaspecialfeelingwithinsects andnumerousgoodpicturesandishouldapply withaninsectpanel.stillunsurewhetheriwasup toit,hegavemetheconditionthatieitherdoit nowwhilehestillhadenergyandtimetohelp,ori Camberwell Beauty feeding on ripened figs Darwin s Heath on Bladder Campion Map Butterfly feeding on Forget-me-not Small Skipper - mating pair

3 doitbymyselflater.itwasanopportunitytoo goodtorefuseandwiththatfinalpushandfurther encouragementfromjohnibegandiggingthrough myarchivesofpictures. Feathered Thorn Moth Spanish Moon Moth Eurranthis plummistaria Fromthemanyphotosinmyrecords(itwashereI wasremindedofmartin swordsaboutqualitynot quantity),iselectedonehundredofmyfavourite pictures.amixofbutterflies,moths,beetles, spiders,grasshoppers,dragonflies,wasps.martin straightawayreducedthemtofifty.thenextstep wastofurtherreducetheselection.buthow?they wereallmyfavouritepicturesandicouldnot decidebetweenoneoranother.soienlistedthe helpofjohn,whoalsohelpedmetocomposemy statementofintentforthepanel.fromthefifty, John,Martinandmyselfselectedourbesttwenty, andcomparedwhichwerethemostpopular amongstus.todothiswehadtoreallyanalysethe photoinitsminutedetails:sharpness,realistic colourandcomposition.afterthisprocess,iended upwiththemagicnumberof35pictures.not muchprogressafterall. NextIresearchedprevioussubmissions,toseewhat couldbelearned.theresultswerediscouraging. Therewereonlyahandfulofsuccessfulinsect panelsinthearps,butnothingrecentfora Fellowship.ItseemsmostFRPSsuccessescoming frombirds,mammalsormixedpanels. Stillnotconvincedaninsectpanelwillbestrong enoughforafellowship,idecidedtosendmy selectionstorichardreveltoseeifmypictures wereuptothefrpsstandard.richardgaveme soundadvicesayingmyworkwasgoodenoughand includedveryinterestingsubjectmatter.thiswas asmuchashecouldadvisewithoutprejudicinghis position.therestwasuptome,whichpicturesi wouldchooseandhowicomposethepanel. FinallyIdecidedon30picturesandprintedthem. Usingthese,Istartedtoputtogetherthebest combinationforasuccessfulpanelmovingthe picturesaroundlikeajigsawpuzzle,aimingtofollow thestatementofintent,discardingtheonesthatdid notfitandagainenlistingadvicefromthedynamic DuoofMartinandJohn.ReluctantlyIevenhadto discardthephotooftheloveofmylife,theapollo. Myfinalpanelwasputtogetherwithavarietyof insectsshowingbehaviour,colours,matingsand 10 The Iris - Winter 2013

4 camouflageintheirhabitat.withmyfinal20 pictureschosen,framedandcompleted,itwasonly nowthatifeltproudwiththeresultsofmywork whetheritgotmethefellowshipornot. UnfortunatelyIcouldnotattendtheassessment dayduetofamilycommitments.howeveronthe followingdayireceivedaphonecallfrommartin. Thewordsheusedwere Congratulationyouare nowaphotographerwithacapitalf. AllIcansuggesttoanyphotographerwhowould liketotryforafellowshipdistinction,isdonotbe afraidtoaskforadvice.thepicturesforthepanel areyoursbutadviceispriceless.it sthebestthing youwillevergetforfree. Mysuccessis,inpart,thankstothehelpandadvice frommygoodfriends.butwithoutmartin smotivation, encouragementandrequest,itwouldneverhave happened.idedicatemyfellowshiptohismemory. Statement of Intent The images in my panel are intended to illustrate the exquisite beauty of the European insect fauna and some aspects of its fascinating behaviour. Even within this comparatively small selection of twenty species, insects display a huge variety of different forms, colours and life cycles. Insects have evolved many complex adaptations to their habitat: they make use of their form and colour to attract and win mates, camouflage themselves, utilise warning colouration to frighten away enemies and deflect potential attacks away from vulnerable areas of their bodies. Many species have become very specialized, relying on particular plants for their food or reproductive cycle. I have tried to include within my submission examples of some of the most aesthetically pleasing insects, actively engaged in interesting natural behaviour, where they would normally occur. MoreofGianpiero simagescanbeseenonthe backcoverofthisissue. The Iris - Winter

5 Images from Gianpiero Ferrari s Fellowship Panel Top: Red Assassin Bug Above: Queen of Spain Fritillary Below: Pale Prominent Moth camouflage Top right: Narrow-bordered 5 Spot Burnet Bottom right: Small White mating pair