One of the things I love to photograph is butterflies sucking nectar. Whether it’s from bananas, which many of the rainforest butterflies use as a nectar source, or from flowers like the candy cane in the image above, it’s been a fascinating source of imagery for me.

I like to get in as close as I can and get the proboscis covered in nectar. This particular shot of this Piano Key butterfly came out very well. The detail is sharp throughout, but the main thing is the light.

Backlighting on translucent butterfly wings or flower petals can make for a glowing image. In this case the wings and the flower were greatly enhanced with this lighting. This is the kind of light I love to encounter when I’m out on a shoot. I have to be careful that it doesn’t blow things out, but when it works, it’s wonderful.