Monarch

Thank you so much, Tessa … I have always yearned for a Monarch to visit my garden at home … and there up at the cabin were zillions of the things!!! I was like a kid in a candy store … lol … it’s that old “be careful what you wish for” thing I guess!!!!!

Oh, Lori, thank you sweetheart!!!!!!

Vickie … your darling baby is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Thank you so much for the invite!!!!! Can’t wait to see your response to my note, lolol!!!!!

Thank you so much … soooo happy you liked it!!!!

Tom, thank you so so much!!!!!!! Know anybody who needs about 399 butterfly shots???? OOOOO that rapid fire button on that camera!!!!! Did it ever get me in trouble!!!!!!

Awww .. .Maggie thank you so much!!!!!! I was soo excited to see these guys flitting and playing and dancing in the air with each other … got some shots of that too, but each time they were a bit too far apart when the shutter snapped. But what a joy to see!!!!!

Andy, thank you so so much!!!!! And yes … DO get a macro lens!!!! But I have to tell you this was actually shot with my 70-300mm vr … you can’t get toooo close to your subject (which, when you’re shooting butterflies and most bugs and birds is a good thing) ... but it also gives the world’s greatest bokeh!!!!! It’s got a sweet spot on aperture from about f/9 to f/13 … but once I figured that out (on this camera, but anything worked on the D40x for some reason) ... it was smooth sailing!!!! Sorry I rambled on, lol!!!!!

Thank you, Angel!!!!!

Thank you, Felicity!!

Shaun … thank you so very much!!!! I’m so happy you liked it, too!!

Hey Bill … thank you!!!!! I love the “bang on” part of your comment … sooo cool!!!

Hey Gary!!!!! thank you!!!

Hey Vicki!!!!! Thank you, sweetie!!!!!! This camera does NOT want to take a bad picture .. it constantly amazes me!!!! I thought for sure, especially as I was rapid firing, that at least half would be tossers … but they’re not!!! And YES my poor eyes … this after taking about the same amount the day before at an old reconstructed colonial village!!! LOL!!!!

_laughing Oh Jesika … that dodad is dangerous!! It makes for WAY too many pictures!!!!! ROFL!!!!

Oh, Curtiss, so amazing that you said that … I was just this minute playing with another one (of the 400, lol) and rotating it. This flower must be relatively lightweight because even these tiny butterflies had the flower heads bending. You’ve just given me leave to post another one of my pics … rotated!!!! LOL!!! I’ll dedicate it to you!!!! Hugzzz!!!

Hi Paul!!! thank you so much!!!! I wish I could take credit for this shot, but I swear, it’s all the D300!!! It just does NOT want to take a bad image!!! The clarity with this thing just blows me away!!! As to shutter speed … the butterflies were flitting in and out of shade and bright sun … it was all I could do to keep up with them. The 800 iso on this camera is nothing … it goes up higher without batting an eyelash!!!!! Something called “Noise Ninja” I think??? Start saving your pennies!!!!

Thanks, Lori!!!!! Do you see these guys at your house??

Thank you, Angie … the 70-300 always gives me a great dof when I’m shooting bugs!!!

Hi Ralph!! Thank you so much … I’m so happy you enjoyed it!!! And thanks, too, for the fave!!! So kind of you!!

Ooooooh Deborah _laughing I’m not so sure!!!!! I never expected so many of the shots to be good … my eyes are bleeding going over and over trying to “kill” the bad ones!!! LOL!!!! But it’s an amazing function on things that move like the butterflies!!!!! Thanks so so much for visiting, hon!!!

Hi Linda … thank you!!!! Yes it is amazing on moving objects!!! It’s just so totally counterintuitive to how I normally shoot!!! As long as the light stays constant (which it doesn’t of course) it’s an amazingly useful trick!!! As to the lawn … well … my husband LOVES to mow the lawn … but I think I ‘ll try to get him to hold a patch or two and we’ll see what comes up. My horror is that the lady next door, shamed by our perfectly manicured rock pile (lol) will get someone in to mow and there will go all my beautiful winged pals!!!!

Hiii Trudy!!!!! Thank you!!! Yes, you know how much I loved your Monarch!!!! This was taken up at the cabin. I haven’t seen a monarch in our garden here at the house. Did see one a few miles away on a bird walk last year … but the shot I took, while it had a gorgeous bokeh, was a bit too out of focus for me.

Hello dear Ilpo!!!!! Thank you, thank you!!

thank you so much, Andrei!!!

Hey Nadine!!!! Thank you!!!! Only problem with it is it makes a LOT of picx!! LOL!!!

Hey Deeeeee!!!!!! Thankee sweetie!!!

Blair, thank you so much!!! I’m so happy you liked it!!! You are such a fabulous nature photographer!!!

Adam … thank you so much for your wonderful comment!!! I really appreciate it!!

LOL!!!!! Oh, Barbara!!!!! Hugzzz around your neck!!!!! You are SUCH a doll!!!!! Yeah, I really have to start using the technical terms one of these days, lol!!!

Renee, did you read my response to Curtiss?? I was actually playing with another shot and giving it the old vertical when he wrote!!! Will probably post another one in a bit.

Oh, John, thank you so much .. I was just overwhelmed!!! There were so many of them!!!!! It was like watching jewelry come to life!!!!

Thank you, Vadim!!

I got off a couple of shots of a monarch on a bird walk last year not far from home (shots turned out a little blurry), so I know they’re in the area. But never in our garden. Seeing them up at the cabin Sunday was SUCH a kick!!!

HI Beve!!! Thank you, sweetie!!! I think my regular yellow guys are Tiger-Swallowtails. “Welcome Visitor”:http://www.redbubble.com/people/loisbryan/art/3464823-3-a-welcome-visito

Hey Rocky!!!! thank you so much!!!!

Thanks, Detlef!!!! It was an amazing afternoon for little me!!!! I was supposed to be packing up to leave but I just didn’t want it to end!!!

thanks so much, Sandy!!!!

LOL!!!! Oh, Renee … I know!!! I just thought it was so cool that I was redoing the image while Curtis suggested it … and you thought it would be a good idea too!!! Great minds all think alike!!!!

what a beautiful thought, Ted!!!! Thank you!!!

thank you so much!!!

Hey Gina, hon!!!! Thank you!!

Hiii Steve!!!!! Thank you … so happy you like it!!!

Hi Dave!!!!! Oh, this camera is just amazing … it cranks up even higher beautifully!!!!

Thank you so much!! I’m honored!!!

Thank you!!!!! So happy you liked this one!!!!

Oh, Vicki … so so so true!!!!! This camera just continues to amaze me!!!!!

Irene … you’re going to have to plant some flowers that they love. There’s actually a “butterfly bush” that they will go right to. They also love cone flowers (echinacea) and lantana. Here’s something you might find useful butterfly flowers . But I don’t have a clue what these wild things are that the Monarchs were enjoying!!!

Oh, Kathy … don’t they just!!!!! All our critter buddies are special!!!! But this guy .. wow … I was sooo excited, lol!!!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!

Pauline, thank you so much .. but I can’t take credit .. honest … it’s all the new camera!!!

Oh, Ric, bless your heart!!!!!! Thank you!!!! I just finished a vertical with texture … and I thought of you when it was done .. it sort of has that light that you do so well!!!! I hope you like that one too!!!! Thank you again!!!

Dearest Bela!!!!! Thank you so much!!

Hello sweetheart!!!!!! Thank you … so glad you liked this one!!!

thank you, Lynda!!!! I was just in awe at the numbers of these things flitting everywhere!!!! It was a photographer’s dream!!!!!

Oh, Meeli … did you post any of your beautiful pics yet??? I must stop by and see!!!!!! I’m sorry your good camera is having troubles .. I hope you can get it fixed soon, sweetie!!!! hugzz!!

Thank you very much, Tulay!!

Thank you so much, Morag!!!!

Hi Victoria!!!!! Thank you so much for your sweet comment about the camera … I’m just constantly amazed at the quality it produces. I love my D40x .. but the D300 .. WOW!!! I wondered the same thing you did about the monarchs. Had they just emerged or were they getting ready for their journey?? I don’t know enough about them to answer. As to the numbers, in all seriousness, I’d say there were half a dozen in front of my eyes wherever I looked … and that doesn’t count the ones I couldn’t see that were below my line of sight. I’ve never seen anything like it. They were also dancing, in pairs, in the air. I captured it several times, but nothing worth posting, sorry to say. It was glorious!!!

What a lovely, lovely thing to say, dear Paolo!!! Thank you!!!

Hi Sharon!!!! Thank you!!!

Hi Tracey!!!!! Thank you so so much … they are an incredible gift to us all … sooo glad you got to see them, too!!!

Hello, hello John!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!

Hans, thank you so much!!!! And as to the iso … i swear to you … it constantly amazes me what this camera will do. I took it and the 70-300 lens in to the shop with some questions. While I was there I gushed a bit about the iso … the guy nodded wisely and mumbled something about the “noise ninja” ... lol … I’m not the only one who has commented on it!!!!

Hello darling girl!!!!! Thank you, thank you!!!!!

Hi Donna … thank you!!!!!!

Hi Val!!!! thank you … so happy you liked this one!!!!

Joanne thank you so much … the light was so perfect that afternoon!!!

Hiii Karon!!!! Thank you, thank you sweetie!!!

LOL!!! Oh, Sandra, I hear ya!!! Macro photography is a whole different ball game!! I must tell you that this particular shot isn’t a macro … I actually took it with my 70-300mm which is good for birdies, but I love it for insect shots too, if you’re going for the whole bug, like this one. I’ve found the trick with macros is mostly using a tripod … that and a narrow aperture, say around 13ish or larger??? But … sad to say … usually the tripod is necessary. Also, if you’re doing the flower thing outside … make sure it’s a no wind day!!! Good luck and let me know when you post your first macro!!!!!

thanks, sweetie!!!!!!!

Hi Tazz!!!! So happy you liked this one!!! Thank you!!!!

Alan!!! You sweetheart!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!! What a fabulous honor!!!!!!!

LOL!!! Yes you’re right!!! I’m using it sparingly now, though!!!!

Thank you, sweetie!!!

Thank you so so much!!!

Mark, thank you so much!!!! I’m honored!!!

Hi Rosalie!!!! Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you so much, Anne-Marie!!!! I sooo wish I could go back in time a couple of weeks … this was an amazing sight!!!

Hi Sweetie!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Yes, I know … check out this VERY cool link … Monarch migration ... I’m sure I caught them migrating … I’ve been back twice since that weekend and never seen them again … not before or since!!!

Hi David … thank you so much for your kind note and for the fave!! I’m honored you enjoyed this one … this was one of those circumstances where you’re in a state of wonder … total disbelieving wonder … if only I could go back in time and STAY there a little longer … though I do think 400+ shots was probably quite enough, lol!!!!!!