This photo was taken on a trail close to my house that I often visit when the weather is nice enough for photographs. It’s titled -Mariposa- and includes a gorgeous swallowtail butterfly. Butterflies are especially common where I live (Virginia). However, no matter how ordinary a bird, plant, or in this case a butterfly appears, I will always find beauty in the moments of stillness nature offers. In this particular moment, I was drawn to the lovely splash of baby blue and scarlet on the butterfly’s wings. I thought it was odd that two colors that usually might clash when worn as clothing, looked stunning simply dotted along the edge of a butterfly’s wings. I also found the pastel yellow of the butterfly’s wings and deep, rich green of the surrounding leaves made a pleasant combination. As an artist, I love to mix and match colors or make vivid sunset skies out of colorful paints that complement each other. So, I enjoy doing the same thing in my photographs. I look for contrasts of scarlet, yellow, pink, and blue or blends of white flowers in green fields, all for the aesthetic of beauty that complementary hues afford.
Gina Ventry is a senior in high school. She’s moved four times in the four years of her high school career which sucked…lol. When not suffering through sleepless nights and maintaining a 4.4 GPA, she occupies her time with creative pursuits. Through the the last few moves, she’s discovered poetry, acrylic painting, and photography, and also started playing the bamboo flute. This is the first photograph she’s submitted anywhere and she can’t express the excitement of potentially sharing her art with others.