Saturday, July 19, 2008

Wings of Fancy

Iridescent green beauty

Yellow monarch and a blue beauty...

Yesterday, I had to go to Kensington, Maryland, to drop off some pictures for a photography competition I've entered. While I was out and about, I decided to head over to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park based on the recommendation of a friend. Brookside has some lovely gardens and, even better than that, a live butterfly exhibit!

Here are a few photos of the many beautiful butterflies and moths, as well as a couple of pictures of the flowers and plants on the grounds. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask the docent the names of the species I photographed. Aside from the monarchs, I have no clue what I have here, but they were very pretty.

This gorgeous blue butterfly never landed anywhere.
I had to chase him/her around the solarium in an attempt to get a good picture!


Monarch butterfly

To see a few more pictures of the butterflies and flowers in this unique park, visit Standing Room Only.

Backlit tropical

Busy bee buzzing on a zinnia

Cape Daisy

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 07/08

14 comments:

Rob said...

Beautiful photos! But wow, that electric blue butterfly in flight really caught my attention, stunning colors!

Maya said...

Ahhh, beauty overload! I so enjoyed all of those. What great colors. I can't believe you managed to get all those shots. You must have been very patient!

Janet Kincaid said...

Rob: The blue butterfly was my absolute favorite! I kept hoping it would land somewhere, but it never did. Still, chasing it was kind of fun!


Maya: Actually, photographing the butterflies was relatively easy for the most part. Most of stayed in place for more than 10 seconds at a time. The hard part was being in a tropical setting and sweating like the dickens! (Oh, and then there was the heat induced migraine I ended up with. That's always fun. Oh, the sacrifices we make for a good picture, eh?!)

USelaine said...

Gorgeous! On the portal, I thought that green one was a decaying leaf! Maybe that's the strategy. Many thanks for suffering for us.

Janet Kincaid said...

USElaine: That whole migraine thing did sound very "woe is me", didn't it? Well, let's just say, it's the only migraine I've ever had that I thought was totally worth it! And it was the best $5 I've ever spent.

I just looked at the picture on the portal and, if I didn't know what it was, I'd have thought what you did! Funny how the eye works!

Sharon said...

Those butterfly photos are amazing. The colors are so beautiful. You have a great eye for framing your photos.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Absolutely stunning shots, especially the motion ones. Suffering for your art was never as beautiful

Virginia said...

My favorite is the backlit tropical. The colors are fab!

Janet Kincaid said...

Sharon: Welcome! And thanks! I really have fun taking pictures like this. It's quite challenging, which is good for me.


Babooshka: LOL! Oh, the things we'll do for a photograph, eh?


Virginia: I liked that one, too. When I took it, I was totally thinking of some of the pictures Maya (Seattle Day-in-the-Life
) takes and trying to emulate her fabulosity!

Maya said...

awwww, *blush*

Arlene said...

Love the butterflies. Can you capture the light of lightning bugs? Are they out in May? If not, my kiddos will be oh -- so -- sad! Try to catch some with your camera - Katie wants to see them so bad!

Janet Kincaid said...

Maya: Well, it's true!


Arlene: Funny you should ask about fireflies (or blinky butts, as Phillip calls them.) I tried photographing some the other evening, but failed. I'm going to keep trying though. As for whether they're out in May, I think it will depend on how warm it is. If I had to choose between a family reunion where the weather is cool and pleasant, but no fireflies and hot and humid with fireflies, I'd choose the former. If it's hot and humid while you all are here, it'll be miserable.

The Artful Eye said...

Stunning, beautiful creatures. You really captured some beauties. The wings in the top butterly look like they are lace and open is this true?
and the blue butterfly, WoW.

Janet Kincaid said...

Andrea: Funny you should ask that! I've had a couple of other people ask the same. Actually, the green was part of this butterflies coloring! My guess is, it uses it as camouflage. Gorgeous, isn't he?

And I'm with you: the blue one is WOW!