Painting with light

There’s a Painted Lady butterfly in the garden on the Abbey here in Tarquinia in Italy. It’s high up and nicely isolated against an out-of-focus background. That’s great. It’s just that it’s the middle of the day and the hight is high and uncompromising. I’m hoping the butterfly will move so I can get a better shot:

That’s better. It’s still a bit harsh and lifeless though. Then, it opens its wings just a little and sunlight comes streaming through the membranous wings:

Lovely. A Painted Lady painted with sunlight.