Tagged: butterfly

 

You might think that after 10 years of photographing butterflies in the same exhibit that it would be easier or boring or predictable, but during each visit, I have to search for the butterflies in a good setting within the reach of my lens, adjust for the proper lighting, and then capture the image while the butterfly is stationary.

The sunlight filters in and out, the butterflies often land far away or in an “ugly” location, or they take off right when you press the shutter button; so each year there is a challenge and a smile when I’m editing and see that I’ve captured a good image. Really, each one of those challenges is present in most photographic creation…

 

 

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Nearly every year, I take at least one trip down to Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to photograph the butterflies. The Nature Museum has a wonderful year-round habitat for the butterflies, and in the middle of winter with all of the dull colors of nature, it’s relaxing to photograph something with rich colors.

But a friend challenged me to photograph something unusual in black & white; so I chose the butterflies in my second trip to Peggy Notebaert. Can I create interesting images without depending on the vibrant colors of the plants and insects? I am very pleased with the results of my experiment.

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“This is MY Flower!”

June 21st, 2024

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“Furry & Cozy”

June 20th, 2024

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“Sunlit Vibrance”

June 19th, 2024

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When I purchased my Sony camera, I knew that I would want a macro lens (since my old one was for Nikon). I settled on the Laona 100mm f2.8 with manual focus – mostly because it was the least expensive 2x macro (by far). It can be exhausting to get the focus correct, but when it’s right, it’s absolutely lovely!

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There’s a certain delight in seeing the shag carpet look of this moth in the daylight. This beautiful insect just hung there for the entire hour that we were inside the butterfly house at Peggy Notebaert.

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For the past few years, Sarah and I have visited Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in downtown Chicago; they have a wonderful year-round butterfly sanctuary/exhibit. In the winter, it’s a wonderful break from the cold and grey.
This winter it was way too busy, but we finally made it down there for our anniversary last weekend.

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“Eye Spots”

March 30th, 2023

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“Just a Dead Leaf”

March 28th, 2023

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“At the Edge”

March 27th, 2023

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