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Euchrysops cnejus.


Euchrysops cnejus.
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter Stoeckl (peter_stoeckl) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1738 W: 291 N: 4005] (11530)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-03
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-H5
Exposure: f/4, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Butterflies of India 2, Beautiful Butterflies, Butterflies of India 3 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-12-15 4:53
Viewed: 5297
Points: 45
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Euchrysops cnejus.
Gram Blue in the Shadow.

Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798)

Genus: Euchrysops
Family: Lycaenidae
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Order: Lepidoptera

Wingspan 25 – 30 mm.

Small and unconspicuous - at least from the distance - this little Indian beauty is overlooked quite often, in particular when in company with flashy beauties like the Wanderers presented before.

But two black and orange eye spots and a pair of string-like tails do make this little blue conspicuous – at least when you get close enough to notice. Most probably this feature serves as “false head mimicry” diverting attacks from predators away from the head towards the rear parts of wings, allowing the victim a quick escape into the unexpected direction. This feature is widespread in the family of Lycaenids, and it can also be well observed with many swallowtail butterflies.

The male of the Gram Blue shows light purple colours on its upperside of wings, the female is black-dusted with the wing bases pale shining blue.

Distribution: Throughout India except at very high elevations. Widely distributed in the Malayan Subregion; extending to Australia and the South Sea Islands. Common in localised areas where its food plant can be found.

"The host plant is a creeper-like "pea plant" with three leaves on a node. The plant has yellow flowers and pea-like processes on which the female is often observed laying her eggs."
(http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/2382/lycaenidae/cnejus.htm)


As there are 318 species of Lycaenids in India, the ID given here may not be exactly the correct one. Could be that I have presented here a closely related cousin of E. cnejus. A confirmation or correction from a specialist on Indian lepidoptera would always be welcome.


References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchrysops_cnejus
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/2382/lycaenidae/cnejus.htm

EVANS, W. H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India

GAY, T., KEHIMKAR, I. & J. C. PUNETHA (1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.

KUNTE, K. (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press.

WYNTER-BLYTH, M. A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.


The camera:

SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 16mm, F/4, 1/500 sec., ISO-125; no tripod, no flash; 03.11.2006, 13:25 local time.


Postwork:

Photoshop Elements, cropped at the sides, downsized to the web, selectively sharpened, noise removal on BG, brightness, contrast and saturation slightly adjusted.


The location:

The hills of Goregaon north of Mumbai. Same place, same friendly and helpful company as already shown here before. For a brief look at the setting, please klick

here.


Thank you for looking.
Have a very good day.
ramthakur, Argus, uleko, nainnain, Libor, star74, JoseMiguel, scottevers7, vanderschelden, horia, dew77, Alex99, badar, jmp, RAP, coasties, jchemas, SkyF, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Peter,
An unblemished and clean specimen of Gram Blue.
The POV offers an unobtrusive profile of the butterfly with its beautiful markings and eye-spots. The light casts a glow around the subject, making it look ethreally beautiful.
Superb overall composition.
Thanks for sharing this grand image.
Ram

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2006-12-15 5:14]

Hello Peter,
Lovely presentation of a blue new to me, with fine sharpness, composition, BG and on a an appropriately contrasting flower.
Even though this is on the shade side, this is first class!
TFS, best wishes, Ivan

hi peter,
lovely capture,
well composed,
nice pov, good dof,
lovely colours,
excellent bg,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2006-12-15 5:39]

Hello Peter,
Another interesting butterfly from India, light enough to hang on to one petal of the flower! Very sharp showing the beautiful pattern on the wings and the little tails.
ice colours and pleasing composition.
TFS, Ulla

tres bonne composition avec ce papillon extra, bon BG
bravo merci du partage
edith

Hi Peter. Nice composition of a small species, always more difficult to capture. Looking into the light or in shadow obviously making things even more difficult. Bluury BG adds to the effect. Nice image!
TFS Dave.

Hi Peter,
This is a great macro shot of the BF.
Nice clear details and colors.
Well done.

Hello Peter,
Great presentation here!.
I like a lot this uncomon POV and composition used, is very well balanced and constructed this photo.
Colors are very good, and the butterfly can be seen with lot of details.
The DOF works pretty well, putting away the blurred background.
Congratulations and thanks for share,
JM

  • Great 
  • Libor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 164 W: 1 N: 25] (1101)
  • [2006-12-15 7:10]

hi Peter
great capture
well composed !
very useful note
TFS Libor

Hi Peter,
An excellent shot here. You did very well on the hand held shot with no fill flash used. Colors and detail look great. Flawless composition and framing. A real beauty.
Scott

Hi Peter,
Good shot..
Nice compo and blurred BG.
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2006-12-15 10:15]

Hi Peter

Another terrific butterfly post from you, my friend!
I really like the POV you took your image from and also the exposure management. The butterfly appears to be a little in shadow but you managed that very nicely and metered very correctly. Thanks to that, all the details, textures and colors from its wings are lovely. I really like the composition, too, with that beautiful yellow frower there, brighting up the entire frame.
Very good DOF management, as well!
Very well done!
Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2006-12-15 10:23]

Hello Peter,
Wonderful butterfly close up.POV,use of backlight,details,colors and composition are excellent.Have a good day too!
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2006-12-15 12:39]

Hi Peter.
I like your idea how to use workshop with great benefit so much. I look your workshops with great interest. They essentially expand opportunities of Treknature.

I do not cease to enjoy your works, executed in style inherent only in you. This is nice composition, impressive POV, extremely exact DOF. Your parameters of exposure (f/4 and especially 1/500) are precisely selected. BG is perfect in its beauty: nicely coloured and blurred. The image of butterfly and flower is perfect separated from BG, exact sharp (no more, no less) and excellent detailed. Delicate light and colour tones are very expressive and pleasant to eye. Great job. My compliments and best wishes, my dear friend.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2006-12-15 13:21]

Hi Peter,
Original pose of this lovely butterfly. Pov, details and exposure are perfect. Difficult light here very well handled.
Wings border light gives a plus to the photo, remarking silhouette.
Best regards mf,
José M.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-12-15 14:42]

Otra bella macro con interesante encuadre y rotación de la mariposa y su percha.
Ajustado y efectivo DOF que brinda foco sobre el insecto y buena difusión sobre el fondo de la escena.
Me gustan los tonos suaves del animal en contraposición con los saturados de la flor.
Como siempre, acertada inclusión del workshop con las pintorescas habitantes del lugar.
Cheers!
Ricardo

Another beautiful macro with interesting framing and rotation of the butterfly and their hanger.
Adjusted and effective DOF that offers focus on the insect and good diffusion on the bottom of the scene.
I like soft tones of the animal in contraposition with those saturated of the flower.
As always, guessed right inclusion of the workshop with the picturesque inhabitants of the place.
Cheers!
Ricardo

Hi Peter

Nice light in this shot. Well composed with lovely colour tones. Crisp, clear and sharp. :-)

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 998 W: 65 N: 1270] (5199)
  • [2006-12-16 6:24]

Wonderful and really beautiful shot, Peter! Thank you very much for it and for the useful information.
Best wishes
Maite

Hello Peter.
Great shot of this Gram Blue.
Love the composition, colors and details with excellent framing, POV and beautiful BG.

Wishing a Happy Holiday Season and a Bright and Healthy New Year for You and your family.

Thank You for everything on this one

Regards

JC

bonjour peter
belle pose ,bonnes couleurs.
le BG est bien flou.
je suis etonné car on ne voit pas les pattes,est ce qu'il etait en vol??
laurent

Hello Peter,
Nice one under difficult conditions.
Very good sharpness and presentation.
TFS - Shir

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2006-12-18 0:38]

Hallo Peter,
was wir meist nur im Schmetterlinghuas zu sehen bekommen hast du nun auf frier Wildbahn erlebt. Ein ganz tolles Foto mit sauberer Belichtung, gute Farben! Die ASchaerfe und die Details sind einfach herrlich. Das ist eine wunderbare Naturaufnahme.
Gruss und frohes Fest
Sky

Nicely done Peter, I like it.
Good use of ambient light. Sharp & detailed little guy with nice colors. Well isolated in the frame, great POV as well.
Have a great week mf.

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