26 July 2013
Lens:
1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Nikon DSLR, July 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013
2. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Nikon DSLR, July 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013
3. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Nikon DSLR, July 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013
4. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Nikon DSLR, July 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013
Let me know which is your favorite and why.
Pens: Masterpiece is an easy theme to interpret. It conjures the classic and unconventional. It symbolizes the sublime and visibly noticed and unforgotten. While a great monument or novel or painting or sculpture can comply, I have selected the native swallowtail butterfly as my entry.
While foraging in my garden during late afternoons, I’ve noticed this season’s abundance of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). As these gorgeous creatures feast throughout my gardens, they can be great models or slippery spectacles. It takes just a small movement to dislodge their concentration.
In the Lens section is a set of images of a male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail dining on various coneflowers. For additional information about these masterpieces of nature, click here.
Note: As always I welcome any comment about this post or any part of my blog.
Lens and Pens by Sally 
These are fantastic ! My favorite is the second one because for me is perfect picture. Have a great day Sally ! 🙂
That’s humbling, Thank you.
Hard to choose. I especially like the color pictures. Beautiful colors! 🙂
Claudia, many thanks.
I love the crispness and detail in the B&W. That one is my favourite by far which is strange when it is the colour of butterflies that usually attracts us to them.
I also was surprised by my fondness for the conversion to monochrome. Thank you.
I love the colors! So rich.
They are lovely to watch. Thanks.
I like the 2nd the profile view is crisp and colorful
Thank you for the comment and your visit.
It’s good that you were able to stop the action. So often these swallowtails keep fluttering even when they’re at a flower.
For me there’s too much loss in converting to black and white; I’d stay with color for this subject.
Steve, I’m always experimenting. Thanks so much.
I like photo 2 the best as it makes the butterfly look so poised and proud.
Malc, thanks and hope that you are enjoying the summer.
It is amazing how you capture such softness but with great detail.
Thank you–give some credit to a crystal clear late afternoon.
Great shots Sally. I had a few of these on my cone flowers, along with about half dozen hummingbird moths on my butterfly bushes in my yard yesterday. Being too busy to stop and get a few photos was kind of a downer though.
Yes, when I saw a few swallowtails, I grabbed my Nikon, and with persistence followed “them” around two areas where I have large swaths of coneflowers. Many thanks.
Stunning and very unique patterns and colors. Beautiful! Thanks for the recent visit. Have a great weekend.
You’re welcome, and thanks.
Sally,
I like the second one, but, like Tina, I also like the B & W version. Something classic about it…
It surprised me that the monochrome actually gave the swallowtail its due. Thanks for the comment and the visit.
Magnificent
Thank you so much.
Beautiful – all of them! I reacted to the 3rd picture – something in the mix of vibrant colors and the butterfly’s wing outline in this picture that caught my breath.
Suzanne, thanks, I appreciate your comment.
Mmmm … crystal clear pictures of butterflies … they’re all gorgeous but I love the first one most 🙂
Thanks, yes, the light swept me into the garden.
Beautiful.
Thanks so much.
Magnificent! Number 2 is my favorite because of the beauty of the colors and your capturing the moment in time.
Thank you.
Sally,
I really like the first photo. When it is enlarged, it is like a fine oil painting.
I appreciate your comment.
Absolutely gorgeous images Sally-what a delight your garden must be.
Gardening is a meditative experience for me. It is part of who I am. Thank you so much.
Outstanding, Sally. Period.
janet
Janet, I’m humbled by your comment.
Gorgeousness!!
Cindy, thanks.
Love the B&W version- funny since they’re all about color, aren’t they?! My granddaughter’s favorite thing, I took her to an exhibit and the NYC Museum of Natural History this year which was spectacular! Some amazing creatures 🙂
Tina, I also was surprised that the monochrome did justice to the swallowtail. I converted it, because I was curious about the luminosity of the light through the wings and the pale background. Thanks.
Breathtakingly beautiful, Sally! True natural beauties, all superb masterpieces.
Dina, I do appreciate your comments.
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Beautiful shots of such a lovely masterpiece of nature. Although, we plant specifically to attract butterflies, we see too few.
Thank you, I also work to lure them.
Fantastic choices Sally and a great idea for this theme.
Lisa
Lisa, thanks and happy weekend to your family and you.
Amazing photos!
Thanks.
Wow! the first one is so lovely!
Belinda, thanks, he was a terrific model.
Can’t possibly choose. I love butterflies and I love them all. An early evening delight.
Absolutely, I’m on the watch for monarchs, which do not seem to be as prevalent this year.
I have a garden full of bees but simply too few butterly appearances- camera at the ready though.
I’ve noticed that (along with climate change and other factors) many of Mother Nature’s creatures have abundant, good and everything-in-between years. Butterflies have not been overly populated this year. But the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail seems prevalent here in the Mid-Atlantic, USA.
Beautiful. Butterflies are amazing creatures. When we were in Key West during a cruise a few years ago, we visitied the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory and it was time well spent. Thanks for bringing back that memory. http://www.keywestbutterfly.com/
That’s lovely–thanks for the comment and the visit.