A Garden in Flight

By Beth Green

Changi Butterfly Garden,
Photo by Beth Green

Downy wings fluttering, tiny legs trembling on neon tropical flowers: There’s something soothing about watching butterflies flit around.

And, traveler, where do you most need to feel calm?

Maybe in the middle of your next intercontinental trip.

Visit the butterfly garden at Changi International Airport in Singapore (airport code: SIN) to momentarily forget the stresses of air travel. Lost luggage, stiff-lipped security guards, and the ubiquitous crying baby three seats in front of you will all seem like part of a far-away world after spending time watching a garden in flight.

Located in Terminal Three, the Changi Butterfly Garden has almost 50 kinds of butterflies. The insects swoop, glide, and dart freely among the flowers and plants of this airport grotto. And, unlike most things associated with air travel these days, entrance to the garden doesn’t even cost one shiny Singapore dollar.

The garden from the upper level.

The garden is two-tiered, with a waterfall and a staircase connecting the levels. On the top, visitors get a bird’s-eye (or is it butterfly’s-eye?) view of the downstairs and a real feel for how amazingly many butterflies are loose in the garden. If you stand still enough, one of the thousand or so free-flying butterflies might perch on something of yours that’s brightly colored for a moment or two. Of course, that makes a long visit by butterfly standards, as most butterflies have a lifespan of less than two (human) weeks.

Butterfly lunch.

The bottom level of the garden is surrounded by greenery and tinted glass so that you feel completely immersed in a jungle. From the top of the stairs, however, you get a glimpse of the outside airstrip and airport workings—a truly a unique chance to contemplate the world of flight by comparing delicate butterflies and behemoth jetliners.

Downstairs, curious travelers can watch butterflies feeding on sticky sweet pineapple rounds, peek into hutches where pupae cocoon and morph, and read educational signboards about their fluttering friends.

Taking flight.

It’s also downstairs that you can see examples of jungle noir—carnivorous “monkey cups,” the dipper-shaped, insect-eating plants native to SE Asia. If it seems a bit “Little Shop of Horrors” to put these hungry flora in with the swirling cloud of resident butterflies, don’t think about the fact that in the wild some of these plants also consume vertebrates. 

The Butterfly Garden is one reason why Changi Airport is one of my favorite airports to route through. Other reasons include the airport’s orchid garden, koi pond, interactive art exhibits and entertainment deck—all free of charge to enter.

Off The Beaten Track -- David Townsend, Photographer

This week's Off The Beaten Track contributor is David Townsend, a professional photographer from Denver, Colorado. A self-taught photographer, David's journey started fifteen years ago when he captured the beauty of nature and landscapes in his home state.  He later became an accomplished portrait photographer and master of the digital darkroom.  Portrait photography eventually led him into photographing weddings, and now he and his wife, Lynn, own David Lynn Photography, a thriving wedding and portrait photography business.  David also teaches his skills to new and aspiring photographers with his Shootshops Photography Workshops. Travel and photography have always remained David’s true passions, and he takes every opportunity to combine these whenever possible.

David’s travels have taken him all over the United States, and to three other continents and fifteen countries: Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

 Next week David will return and take us on a photographic journey to South East Asia.

Websites:

www.townsendphotography.com

www.davidlynnphoto.com

www.shootshops.com

www.facebook.com/davidlynnphotography

 

Life is an adventure.

I've ridden my bike at 20mph, steering with one hand and firing off shots with the other.  I've strapped a camera to my ski helmet.  I've drowned a camera 40 feet underwater in Belize.  I like going and being everywhere with a camera.  That's where my life is, that's where my fun is, and that's where the photo opportunities are.

There are plenty of times I don't have a camera with me, and it always allows me to sink fully into the experience.  Even then, my mind's eye is firing away.

I know it sounds a little clichéd, but the simple fact is that beauty is everywhere.  Nothing makes me see that more than photography, and recognizing it has become such a part of my everyday life that I don't even think about it anymore.  I just see it -- in the plain, ordinary and everyday.  It's a simple concept, and when you get it into your consciousness things don't seem so ordinary anymore.  It's all about perspective... lying on the ground in the middle of the woods, a meadow, a street, or in front of a bride and groom with my camera and seeing the world from inches high.... getting up close and personal with things I'd otherwise walk by... then creating art from it. That totally does it for me, and is one of a million reasons why I love to shoot.

 

The images below can also be found at www.townsendphotography.com ~ world galleries

I had the great opportunity to take a two-week overland safari through South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. We drove caravan-style with Land Rovers equipped with rooftop tents, visiting National Parks and Game Reserves to experience the wildlife of southern Africa.

TIP:  a tripod is essential piece of equipment for night photography.  It allows you to keep the camera perfectly still and create long exposures.

 

We spent one day and night at a lion rescue camp in Botswana, and we had a chance to get up close and personal with these amazing animals.  These images capture both the intense and majestic nature of the lion.

TIP: Especially on safari, a telephoto zoom lens is essential to get close to your subject.  It allows you to exclude things that are unnecessary to your image.

We spotted a pride of lions taking their afternoon nap on a grassy hill on the savannah, and we moved in to see how close we could get to the resting pride. This female stood watch as I was able to get a few shots from about 100 feet away.

TIP: Placing your subject slightly off-center in your image creates a little more dramatic feel to your image.

The giraffe is one of the most unique animals in the world, and it is a rare experience to see these animals in the wild.  With these two images I tried to create the very zen-like feel that these animals convey.

TIP:  Use environmental features to add another graphic element to your image, or look for particular patterns, shapes, or (in this case) alignments that add an interesting perspective.

The zebras were always found in herds, often with a group of ostriches nearby (they help the Zebras search for predators with their keen eyesight.)  I caught the attention of this lone zebra while moving around the vehicle.  He turned and faced me and created the perfect image for me to capture.

TIP:  Keep it simple.  This image is very straightforward, linear, and symmetrical, all adding to the overall artistic look.

The elephants were always fascinating to watch for hours, and we spent a long time observing their playful nature and dedication to the family unit.

TIP:  When photographing animals, look for interactions, as those images are not as common as just a solitary animal standing and doing nothing.

The hippos are notorious for being the most dangerous animal on the continent, but when we visited a watering hole with 30-40 hippos, they were doing what they do best…relaxing.  Every once in a while they would all erupt in what sounded like a group of old men laughing together over a glass of brandy.

TIP:  Use a foreground element to add a dynamic feel.  I shot this image through the grasses to give a sense of place while still maintaining focus on the hippo.

Some of the smaller monkeys around the game parks and reserves have developed a bad (human-inspired) habit of raiding campsites for food.  We even witnessed a giant baboon climb inside one of our trucks and steal a 5-pound bag of potatoes.  Although annoying, it did afford some great photo opportunities, like this one.

TIP: Shooting images with low aperture settings (f/2.8, f/3.5, etc) gives you shallow depth of field and soft blurred backgrounds, letting your subject stand out.

This image of a red hartebeest is a more iconic image, with the lone silhouette of the animal surrounded by the expanse of the African savannah.  I found myself absolutely awestruck at the simple beauty of the savannah and other parts of southern Africa.

TIP:  Use a wider angle lens to include parts of the environment to give a sense of place and perspective. 

This is how you transport vehicles across the mighty Zambezi River from Botswana into Zambia.  We went over to visit Victoria Falls and it was amazing.  Footnote: a couple months after returning home, I read that one of these ferries capsized, killing multiple people.  Wow.

TIP:  Always be on the lookout for interesting perspectives from which to photograph.  Shoot from down on the ground or, if possible, from up above your subject.

The Baobab Trees of southern Africa range in diameter seven to eleven meters, and reach a height of 30 meters. Carbon dating has found some baobab trees to be over 2,000 years old.

TIP:  Sunrise and sunset are the ideal times of day to photograph when the light is softer and warmer.  It creates more dramatic colors and shadows.

The acacia tree is the iconic tree of Africa, and makes for the most interesting images.   There was no shortage of beautiful sunsets while we were there, so I felt compelled to include one.

TIP:  Silhouettes are a classic photographic technique.  Keep it interesting by placing the silhouetted subject off center or in a smaller part of the frame.

Words just can’t describe the enormity of the Salt Flats in Botswana, but if I were to try, it would be the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere. Just walking out onto the flats makes one feel completely alone, in a most peaceful way.

TIP:  Use negative space to create an artistic view of what you are photographing.  In this photo, the vehicles are very small and the sky dominates the scene, giving a sense of the salt flat’s vast expanse.

The Wandering Eucalyptus

As a kid in Australia, I spent many a day climbing eucalyptus trees, dangling from precarious heights, and scraping arms and knees on the rough branches and bark. Gum nuts would fall on my head and get tangled in my hair, and my clothes would be stained with sap and reek of eucalyptus oil. These precious memories have stuck with me, and it’s always a surprise when they spring up out of the blue. Many times I’ve trekked in countries like Peru or Turkey, and I’ve smelt the distinct aroma of eucalyptus then I’ve turned a corner and come across hills covered in these beautiful trees. 

With over 800 species of the plant endemic to Australia, there’s no surprise these trees have spread their branches around the world. Eucalypts are renowned for consuming a lot of water, and it’s not uncommon for people to use them to dry up swamps. By doing this, the breeding grounds of mosquitoes disappear and the risk of malaria is eliminated. 

When the Trappist monks planted eucalyptus trees at their Tre Fontane Monastery near Rome, Italy, in 1870, they not only removed the risk of malaria in the surrounding area, but they founded a new cottage industry. Trappist monks produce goods that are sold to provide an income for the monastery, and after they discovered how to cultivate the bees and honey using the pollen from the eucalyptus trees, they found a new profitable endeavor. And to prove how resourceful these monks are, there is a Trappist Liqueur de Tre Fontane that is distilled from the leaves of eucalyptus trees. I’ve not yet sampled it, but it’s on my list of things to do in Italy!

What surprises me the most though, is the recent discovery that eucalypts may have flourished in South America millions of years ago. Scientists have found fossils of leaves, flowers, fruits, and buds in Patagonia, Argentina, and they believe these are the only scientifically validated fossils that prove the eucalyptus existed outside of Australia without humans transplanting them. The fossils date back to 52 million years ago and represent a sub-genus of eucalyptus known as Symphypmyrtus, making this the oldest eucalyptus fossil ever found. Patagonia is a haven for fossils and dinosaurs, so it’s interesting to contemplate if any of these creatures ate eucalyptus leaves or flowers as part of their regular diet.

When most people think of Australia, they imagine the not-so-cuddly Koala (no, it isn’t a bear!), sitting in a gum tree (also known as a eucalyptus), stoned off its head. These lazy creatures love to loll about in eucalyptus trees, sleep 18 hours a day, and spend another 3 hours chewing on toxic leaves that would kill most animals and humans. The eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrition, but the koala’s bodies are designed to slowly metabolize the toxins, which is why they sleep so much. Next time someone tells you koalas get high on eucalyptus leaves and they sleep because they’re stoned, you can tell them it’s a myth, and their sleepiness is due to them conserving energy so they can digest their food. Bummer, man.

With people turning to greener products, eucalyptus oil is making a comeback. Eucalyptus oil has anti-bacterial properties and can help people with respiratory conditions. There’s nothing like a dab of eucalyptus on a handkerchief to help relieve one’s cold symptoms. Eucalyptus oil is a great insect repellent, stain remover, odor remover, and a few drops in the wash of stinky gym gear can do wonders. If you have a niggling headache, rubbing a few drops on your temples can get rid of that pain quickly. Oh, oh, I’m starting to sound like an advert, but I promise, it does work!

Those who have been to California may be familiar with the eucalypts there. With a similar climate to Australia, the eucalypts thrived after they were imported in the 1850s during the American Gold Rush. The Californian government encouraged plantations with the view to use the timber for construction, furniture, and railroad ties. Unfortunately, eucalyptus bark tends to twist while drying and made it impossible to hammer rail spikes into the ties. What the importers also didn’t realise at the time is that the young trees in California were no comparison to the centuries-old eucalyptus trees in Australia. The older trees didn’t warp or split, and it didn’t take long before the eucalyptus industry in California took a nose dive. Today, eucalypts provide windbreaks for highways and farms, and are used as ornamental trees in cities and private gardens. The eucalyptus tree however have come under some heavy criticism because they don’t support native animals in California, and the trees have been classified as a fire hazard. With a naturally high oil content, the trees can combust and turn into fire balls if there’s a bushfire.

Even though eucalyptus trees can be found in just about every corner of the world now, I still associate these wonderful trees with my birth country. One of the most photographed and visited sites in Australia is the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney. If you’ve ever seen photos or visited, you’ll understand how they got their name. Originally called the Carmarthen Hills, this beautiful piece of paradise underwent a name change to the Blue Mountains because of the dense population of oil-bearing eucalyptus trees. When the atmosphere fills with fine oil droplets and combines with dust particles, water vapor, and the right light, a mysterious blue haze settles floats through the trees and above the rivers. Spectacular is the first word that comes to mind. 

Every now and again when I travel I feel a little homesick, so it’s nice to get a surprise and find a crop of eucalypts gracing hills in foreign lands. I can close my eyes and breathe deeply, let the strong eucalyptus scent wash over me and imagine being back home amongst the gum trees where the lazy koalas sleep and kookaburras laugh.