Date: July 31, 2025
Theme: Wings, Emergence, Texture
Location: My Garden, Fremont, CA
Camera/Lens: Canon R5 Mark II + EF 100mm Macro
Languages: English / 中文 / Español
Born at Noon
It happened just after noon. I stepped outside to take out the trash—and caught my breath.
There, clinging to a celery stalk in the midday light, was a newly emerged black swallowtail butterfly. Its wings were still soft. Beside it, like a ghost of its past, hung a translucent chrysalis—split, delicate, and still gently attached. The moment felt like a quiet miracle, tender and alive.
And to think: a year ago, a single celery seed had dropped into an old garbage bin where I used to grow chives. I didn’t give it a second thought. Over time, the celery grew—thin-stemmed, fragrant, wild. A patch I nearly forgot. I never imagined a butterfly would one day be born from it.
中文：转变的微妙承诺：这只新鲜的绿色蛹悬挂在芹菜杆下，被丝线支撑，悄悄藏于视线之外。内里，一只蝴蝶正悄然成形，静静等待展翅。
Español: Una delicada promesa de transformación: esta crisálida verde y fresca descansa bajo un tallo de apio, suspendida por seda y escondida a simple vista. Dentro, una mariposa se está formando silenciosamente, preparándose para volar.
中文：变暗而微透明，蛹接近最后时刻——颜色加深，轮廓愈发清晰。很快，外壳将裂开，新生的形态即将走向光明。
Español: Oscura y translúcida, la crisálida se acerca a su hora final—su color se intensifica y su forma se define. Pronto, la pared exterior se romperá y una nueva forma saldrá a la luz.
Wings in Shade
To soften the harsh overhead light, I gently turned the pot into partial shade. I exposed the background to brightness on purpose—it simplified the scene, isolating the butterfly in its moment.
Under macro, the dark wings revealed more: delicate veins, soft clusters of scales, a texture like velvet ribbon or woven silk. What seemed simply black at a glance became quietly intricate. Each fold held a record of its transformation.
中文：破茧而出仅片刻，一只凤蝶停在它曾居住过的壳旁——双翅饱满而收拢，仍在积蓄力量。蛹壳像一段记忆，被撕开却依然神圣。
Español: Instantes después de emerger, una mariposa cola de golondrina cuelga junto a la cáscara que una vez fue su hogar—alas llenas, dobladas y aún ganando fuerza. La crisálida permanece como un recuerdo, partida pero sagrada.
First Flight
I captured a short video as the butterfly gently pulsed its abdomen—gathering strength, not to climb, but to launch itself in a sudden, airy flight. Watch the magic unfold:
It soared directly to the lemon tree, finding its own place in the dappled summer light.
中文：在柔和的午后光线中，凤蝶停歇在柠檬叶上，经历了第一次飞翔后的短暂静止——这是对过往与未来的平衡时刻。
Español: Reposando en una hoja de limón bajo la suave luz de la tarde, la cola de golondrina se detiene tras su primer vuelo—un momento de equilibrio entre lo que deja atrás y todo lo que está llegando a ser.
What Remains
What struck me even more was the shell it left behind. Most of the time, butterflies disappear unnoticed—the evidence scattered or gone. But here, in the stillness of my own backyard, was both the before and the after.
After the butterfly took flight, the chrysalis remained—still attached to the celery stem, translucent and split. Its outer shell curled slightly at the edges, like a breath let out. Though no longer occupied, it held the final shape of transformation, fragile yet whole.
中文：仍附着在芹菜杆上的空蛹在柔光中泛着微光——虽已破裂，却依然完整。蝴蝶已飞走，但蛹壳仍在诉说它的诞生。
Español: Todavía aferrada al tallo de apio, la crisálida vacía brilla con la luz suave—abierta pero intacta. La mariposa se ha ido, pero el capullo aún narra su transformación.
Technical Notes
- Time: 12:05 PM
- Lighting: Harsh midday sun; background intentionally overexposed. Subject shaded for texture and detail.
- Post-processing:
- Shadow lift and clarity boost, especially in wing folds
- Minimal color shift — warmth preserved
- Cropped gently to include butterfly and chrysalis in frame
What I Like / What I’d Improve
- Like: The rare composition of butterfly and chrysalis in a single frame; natural textures; light simplicity.
- Improve: I wish I had seen the moment it broke free—but honoring the stillness after was just as sacred.
Curious how this moment looks in a large, professional print?
Read my Test Print Experience →
Tags:
#ButterflyEmergence #MacroPhotography #BackyardWildlife #Chrysalis #BornAtNoon #NatureStudy #BlackSwallowtail #FremontGarden #QuietMiracles #ShutterToLight
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