The Painted Lady Butterfly

 

"Be like a butterfly and a flower... beautiful and sought after, yet unassuming and gentle."

~Jarod Kintz

Despite all the depressing stuff going on, it's not like there isn't beauty in the world. While on Woodbridge road the other day, I spotted the first of two unique types of butterflies for 2026, floating along the wildflowers along the road! This particular one is the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) which is one of my favorites, and seeing it reminds me that there is a lot to focus on, beyond politics. Why do I and should I, let the stupid stuff steal my joy? I wish I could answer that question! Today, for example, my body hurts head to toe, all because I tensed up yesterday, in anticipation of nuclear annihilation of Iran, and the very real possibility of World War III. I should have known Trump would Taco at the last minute, but I wasn't sure he would! Oh well, that was Tuesday, and today is today, and we all got here one moment at a time, so going forward I am trying that! One moment at a time.

Wish me luck!

I will have more new photos this week, so come back for that!

October Butterfly Gallery

From For Ellipsis

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering through the autumn tree."


-Emily Bronte


I had a good deal of luck in finding butterflies during October! A nice variety too! Here, have a look see...

Red Admiral

(Vanessa atalanta)

Kind of made me sad, here wings were so worn, and she looked really fragile.

From For Ellipsis

Gulf Fritillary

(Agraulis vanillae)

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

Brown Skipper (Paratrylone melane)

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

Vanessa (Vanessa cardui)

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

I love photographing all kinds of butterflies, because each one presents a different behavior. The easiest, at least for me, is the Gulf Fritillary. It is a fairly large butterfly and it when it lands on a flower or stick, it usually spends a couple moments there. That gives me ample time to get both closed and open wing photographs. My favorite butterfly overall is the Painted Lady. It has such beautiful colors and is almost as easy to photograph as the Gulf Fritillary.

Do you enjoy garden photography? Do you photograph butterflies? If so, feel free to share your favorites with me. I would love to know about your experiences with photographing butterflies.



:)


-Carly

New Monday Photo Shoot #17: Fur Sure

"Life is an endless struggle, full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like."

-Unknown

New Monday Photo Shoot #17: Photograph something furry or fuzzy, whether it's a textured fabric, an animal (real or otherwise), a beard, a piece of fruit, or something else. All I ask is that the photograph concentrate on whatever it is that's furry or fuzzy, and ignore other features (such as eyes and noses) as much as possible.

-Karen Funk Blocker, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Is it hair? Is it fuzz? Is it fur? Whatever it is on the butterfly, it's very soft when it brushes past you, and I found out quite by accident, that butterflies don't mind very much if you very gently touch their mane, if you do so with the utmost respect. :) Have you ever combed the long, well managed hair of a beautiful woman? Was she a Painted Lady? Could she be described as a Cosmopolitan woman? Was she as sweet and beautiful as this Vanessa?

;) WINK!

Note: Please click on the photo to see it in a larger version.

-OndineMonet
Vanessa cardui (American Painted Lady Butterfly)
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
April 23, 2008
Afternoon

Good Photo? Bad Photo?

"I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges."

-William Albert Allard, "The Photographic Essay."

I have learned something about myself when it comes to my own photography, sometimes it is a good idea for me to take a step back, before deciding whether or not I like a photo I have just taken. Take the above photo as an example. Last Wednesday, I was in Half Moon Bay, very late in the afternoon. I stopped at Pastorino's farm, to photograph the magnificent wealth of flowers they have in bloom right now. It is really spectacular, everything is in full bloom, and the variety is endless. As gorgeous as all the colorful flowers were, for some reason I found myself attracted to the white daisies. They were amazing, and with the low flowing fog, just making it onshore, and across the farm, it gave everything a ghostly appearance. Fog is a strange thing, it can flow on one side of a building, completely shrouding it, while the other side can be completely clear and sunny. Last Wednesday, it seemed to be flowing across the field as if to cover the more colorful flowers, while it made the daisies glisten. :) Magic!

There was exactly one butterfly to be found, this gorgeous, American Painted Lady, (Vanessa virginiensis). This is my favorite butterfly to photograph. It is a happy little girl, and the colors on her wings are stunning. I am fascinated by the pattern of her wings as well. It is small, only about 2 in, across. I don't know, maybe I kind of know what it's like to be the little one on the block. LOL.

Anyway, as I said, there was only one of her fluttering among the daisies, and the mist was beginning to roll in a lot heavier, so I knew I only had a few minutes to make my time with her count. I followed her from a proper distance, as to not spook her, and tried really hard to get a shot that would show her full beauty. Well, I ended up with a lot of misty photos, and some shots where she wasn't quite in focus, and then I have this one. As you can see, I got her in focus, but the mist and the flowers surrounding her distract from her a good bit. When I first began to edit my photos that day, I thought about cropping out the surroundings, but somehow it just didn't look right. I decided to put it away for a few days, and take another look this weekend.

Yesterday, I took the file out again, and for whatever reason, when I looked at it a second time, I kinda liked what I saw. I don't think it's the best I have ever done, but there is something about the photo that draws me in. I see all the mistakes, and unfortunate elements to it, and at the same time, it gives me a good feeling. I am not exactly sure why I didn't like it at first, maybe I shouldn't try to edit photos when I am that tired. Maybe I needed a few days to work through how difficult it was to get the photo, and be proud of myself for how hard I worked at it. It's difficult to pat myself on the back when I have done good. Silly. No one knows better then I do what level of effort I put into something. Right? So, for whatever reason I like this photo. I like the memory of taking it as well. It was a productive day with the camera, and a good day to let the camera process my thoughts. :)

-OndineMonet
"Misty Vanessa"
Half Moon Bay, California
July 11, 2007
Afternoon