Today, I returned to exploring the forest in the village, accompanied by a friend. This forest is not the first time I have visited, but every time I visit, there is always something new that makes me fall in love with nature even more. With my camera and macro lens ready, I started hunting for photos of insects hidden among the leaves and twigs.
and here I am showing a photo of a friend of mine. 😁
After shooting some interesting small insects for quite some time, I felt tired and decided to rest under the shade of the trees. The gentle breeze blew, and the calm forest atmosphere made my body more relaxed. However, an unexpected incident occurred at that time.
When I was sitting on the roots of a big tree, suddenly a beautiful butterfly with a brown-white wing pattern approached and perched on my bag. I recognized this species as the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas), one of the butterflies I encounter quite often, but this felt different. Usually, butterflies only pass by briefly or perch briefly on the leaves, but this one actually chose my bag as its resting place. It was as if he wanted to be photographed, showing off the beauty of his wing patterns which contrasted with the forest background.
I carefully lifted the camera and started taking some photos. The Common Sailor showed no signs of wanting to leave, in fact remaining silent even though I moved my hands. As if there was an invisible bond between me and this butterfly.
Shortly after, another miracle occurred. A Jamides celeno butterfly, with a beautiful silvery blue color, flew close to me. At first, it just floated around, then came down to the ground right under my feet. I was silent, surprised by this incident. Why are these two butterflies so close to me today? Is it the smell of my sweat that attracts them? Or maybe there is something that makes them comfortable around me?
I picked up the camera again and captured this rare moment. Jamides Celeno didn't immediately leave, he even seemed busy flapping his wings as if he wanted to show off his charm. In my heart I muttered, "It seems like today I have two new friends in this forest."
After I was satisfied with photographing the two butterflies that seemed to want to be my models, I continued my journey to take several pictures of the forest atmosphere. I aimed the lens at the large towering trees, creating a natural canopy that protects the forest from the hot sun. The afternoon sun shining through the leaves creates a magical atmosphere, as if this forest has a living soul.
I also captured views of dense green bushes, with evening light slipping through the leaves, giving a beautiful golden effect. The sky was starting to change color, indicating that it was getting late.
That day was truly an amazing experience. Not only because I managed to get beautiful photos of insects and forest landscapes, but also because of a special encounter with two butterflies that for some reason were very interested in me. This is one of the moments I will never forget in my nature exploration trip.
For me, this is not only about photography, but also about how nature always has surprises ready to give to anyone who is willing to observe and enjoy them with an open heart.
NOTE: I first wrote the article above in Indonesian, which is my own language, then I translated it using English with the help of Goggle.
THIS PHOTO AND WRITING ARE ORIGINALLY MINE, THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN USING A XIOMI NOTE 10 PRO SMARTPHONE CAMERA AND ADDITIONAL MACRO LENSES
THIS PHOTO AND WRITING ARE ORIGINALLY MINE, THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN USING A XIOMI NOTE 10 PRO SMARTPHONE CAMERA AND ADDITIONAL MACRO LENSES