eClose Live

eClose, the definition of which is to emerge as an adult from a pupa (chrysalis).  The butterflies in this video emerged from chrysalises in my atrium this year.

I’ve never owned or used a Camcorder; I’ve always been a photographer.  So the art of making videos is quite new to me, as is video editing software.  I’m just using my Canon SX280 HS camera, nothing fancy.  So please ignore the quirks in this video.  You may be curious about “lessons learned” since I started filming.  Use a tripod.  Stage the shot; don’t realize halfway through the event that there’s a leaf in the foreground that should’ve been removed.  Be patient, the subject is not on my schedule.  Don’t zoom in so close the butterfly leaves the frame when it emerges.  Don’t move the camera in the middle of the video.  Don’t talk during the video unless it’s narration because then the audio is worthless.  Oh, and did I mention to be patient?

My husband and I were talking about the video technique I would try next; on this video I experimented with combining pieces from multiple videos.  I’d like to add a soundtrack next time, which is not as easy as you might think since I can’t use copyrighted music.  I was thinking of recording the ambient noises in my atrium.  But my husband suggested I create my own soundtrack, that I compose and play a little piece on the piano.  I was rather taken aback by this suggestion, not only that he suggested it, but that he honed in on the one area of creativity where I am the most critical of myself, my ability, or rather lack of, to play anything other than what’s written on a sheet of music.  For the number of years that I have studied piano and music theory, albeit 30 years ago, I should be able to do this.  But improvising has never been my strong suit, mostly because I don’t allow myself the freedom, time and space to do it.

My immediate response to his suggestion was that I cannot.  But then I quickly reminded myself that this is my year for exploring my potential, for trading in the “I can’t” phrase for the “I can” phrase.  So I followed up my initial response with a better one.  “That’s not a bad idea”, I say.  And I actually believe it.

I was going to speed up this video, but then I realized to truly appreciate a butterfly’s life you have to watch at a butterfly’s pace.  So enjoy the magic, even without sound.