Winged Beauty: Butterflies and Other Insects
© Bill Harbin
May 28 - September 6, 2010
Award winning nature and wildlife photographer Bill Harbin decorates the entry level walls here at Fernbank with 33 astounding photos of bright flowers and fluttering insects. This returning exhibition, Winged Beauty: Butterflies and Other Insects, is an astounding collection of images.
Vibrant, unbelievable colors illuminate the entry level walls in an array of insect photos. Delicate butterflies rest on sturdy flowers; buzzing dragonflies glide motionlessly through the air; beetles feed on flowers covered in dew drops.
In one image, the fierce heat of a Florida afternoon rests on the fiery petals of a gaillardia flower. Every small detail is magnified. Pollen escapes the gaillardia as a Great Southern White Butterfly nectars the flower, and Harbin’s image records the interaction.
“Capturing this rapidly moving natural spectacle with still camera images is challenging hard work at best,” said Harbin, who succeeds with brilliant images that stop time and allow the beauty of nature to be seen up close. “Most of these scenes lasted only a few seconds, a moment as ephemeral as the average lifespan of these creatures, but now frozen in time for lingering views.”
The crisp photos capture every microscopic detail. They invite viewers into a bug’s world. When met eye-to-eye, the delicate, tender butterfly suddenly becomes a dominant, aggressive creature, and tiny dew drops become heavy weights.
Harbin was awarded "specially commended" in Animal Portraits in The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest in 2008, was in the exhibit at the Museum of Natural History London and attended the awards ceremony in London in Oct 2008. Harbin also had three images published in North American Nature Photography Association’s Annual Showcase Competition 2010.
Admission to Winged Beauty: Butterflies and Other Insects is included with the purchase of a Museum ticket and is free for members. The exhibition is located on the entry level around the Great Hall Overlook.