23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Reshaped by Light — Portrait of a Female Stag Beetle

This photograph features a female Prosopocoilus savagei, captured through an experimental play of colour and illumination. While the beetle’s natural tones are deep brown and orange, I transformed its appearance using multiple speedlights and coloured gels, allowing the light itself to become part of the composition. The resulting portrait blurs the boundary between science and art — the flow of light accentuates the beetle’s curves and textures, turning its exoskeleton into a sculptural, almost ethereal form.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: United Kingdom
Camera: ILCE-7RM4
Copyright: © Irina Petrova Adamatzky