Butterflies — an ever popular subject for photographers
From the moment I first held a camera in my hand, butterflies have been an ever present feature in my photography. I can remember chasing them around the garden in Essex where I grew up and, later, going on expeditions across the UK to track down rare species and add them to my ever growing collection of images. When I relocated to Italy, my interest was rekindled by the sheer number of species that we simply don’t see in the British Isles.
Butterflies of Fivizzano, Lunigiana, Tuscany, Italy
Part of the angellightphoto, butterflies of Fivizzano album, this ever changing gallery covers all the species of the skipper family, Hesperiidae, that I have found and photographed in and around our garden here in Fivizzano.
Lulworth skipper
Thymelicus acteon
Small skipper
Thymelicus syslvestris
Small skipper
Thymelicus syslvestris
Lulworth skipper
Thymelicus acteon
Large skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
Dingy skipper
Erynnis tages
Essex skipper
Thymelicus lineola
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Large-chequered skipper
Heteropterus morpheus
Mallow skipper
Carcharodus alceae
Mallow skipper
Carcharodus alceae
Red-underwing skipper
Spialia sertorius
Silver-spotted skipper
Epargyreus clarus
Silver-spotted skipper
Epargyreus clarus
Small skipper
Thymelicus syslvestris
Small skipper
Thymelicus syslvestris
Part of the angellightphoto, butterflies of Fivizzano album, this ever changing gallery covers all the species of the white butterfly family, Pieridae, that I have found and photographed in and around our garden here in Fivizzano.
Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni
Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni
Bath white
Pontia daplidice
Bath white
Pontia daplidice
Bath white
Pontia daplidice
Bergers-clouded-yellow
Colias alfacariensis
Clouded yellow
Colias croceus
Clouded yellow
Colias croceus
Green-veined white
Pieris napi
Green-veined white
Pieris napi
Orange tip
Anthocharis cardamines
Small white
Pieris rapae
Small white
Pieris rapae
Wood white
Leptidea sinapis
Part of the angellightphoto, butterflies of Fivizzano album, this ever changing gallery covers all the species of the blue butterfly family, Lycaenidae, that I have found and photographed in and around our garden here in Fivizzano.
Adonis blue
Lysandra bellargus
Adonis blue
Lysandra bellargus
Adonis blue
Lysandra bellargus
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Chalkhill blue
Polyommatus coridon
Chalkhill blue
Polyommatus coridon
Chalkhill blue
Polyommatus coridon
Common blue, male
Polyommatus icarus
Common blue, female
Polyommatus icarus
Common blue, female
Polyommatus icarus
Holly blue
Celastrina argiolus
Holly blue
Celastrina argiolus
Holly blue
Celastrina argiolus
Lang's short-tailed blue
Leptotes pirithous
Lang's short-talied blue
Leptotes pirithous
Lang's short-talied blue
Leptotes pirithous
Long-tailed blue
Lampides boeticus
Prevençal short-talied blue
Cupido alcetas
Silver-studded blue
Plebejus argus
Small blue
Cupido minimus
Small blue
Cupido minimus
Small blue
Cupido minimus
Small copper
Lycaena phlaeas
Small copper
Lycaena phlaeas
Sooty copper
Lycaena tityrus
Part of the angellightphoto, butterflies of Fivizzano album, this ever changing gallery covers all the species of the brown butterfly family, Nymphidae, that I have found and photographed in and around our garden here in Fivizzano.
Comma
Polygonia c-album
Comma
Polygonia c-album
Comma
Polygonia c-album
Gatekeeper
Pyronia tithonus
Great banded grayling
Brintesia circe
Marbled white
Melanargia galathea
Marbled white
Melanargia galathea
Meadow brown
Maniola jurtina
Peacock
Aglais io
Pearl-bordered-fritillary
Boloria euphrosyne
Pearly heath
Coenonympha arcania
Ringlet
Aphantopus hyperantus
Silver-washed fritillary
Argynnis paphia
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Small tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae
Speckled wood
Pararge aegeria
Spotted fritillary
Melitaea didyma
Spotted fritillary
Melitaea didyma
Spotted fritillary
Melitaea didyma
Spotted fritillary
Melitaea didyma
Wall brown
Lasiommata megera
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
A FEW WORDS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHING BUTTERFLIES …
Shooting good images of butterflies is not quite as straightforward as it might seem, mostly because they are almost constantly on the move. This is where having a good food plant to encourage them to settle helps, which, in our garden, takes the shape of an enormous English lavender hedge.
Apart from all the usual technical requirements, my definition of a good image is one where the butterfly is in an interesting position, on an interesting flower, with interesting light against a background that is not distracting. It is the combination of all, or any, of these elements that determines whether the image is simply acceptable or something to be proud of.
Amongst these ever changing galleries, you will, hopefully, find a few outstanding photographs. My goal is make that true for all of them. That said, I neither wish nor expect to reach such a lofty destination. I don’t wish it because I love the thrill of finding, chasing and photographing butterflies far too much to ever want to stop; and I don’t expect it because perfection is an illusion — we can always aim higher and strive further.
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