Photography

Judgment Day at Venice Beach

I went for a stroll in the neighborhood to see if there were any signs that this really was the end. If this was to be Judgment Day then surely I would see signs of it on Venice Beach. This guy seemed pretty happy. I don’t know what he was singing about but he didn’t [...]

2 days, 3 counties, 4 lenses, 5 butterflies…

The last day of April at Erskine Creek in Kern Co. CA. There were lots of these: Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia california). This is not a glamorous species and you might not be inspired to stop if one crossed your path. The pattern reminds me of stains on a yard-sale sofa. But this one’s in [...]

Hope Springs Eternal in the Desert

Even the experts will tell you that searching for butterflies in the desert can be a tricky business. You can do your research, make educated guesses and drive hundreds of miles only to come home empty-handed. Nature’s rhythms are more like Free jazz than a Sousa march. But I love the desert and will take [...]

Raising Painted Ladies

Last summer we discovered Lumpy the Anise Swallowtail caterpillar on a plant from our local nursery. It turned into quite an adventure and we’ve missed some of the excitement and fascination that comes with raising butterflies. This time we thought we’d start from scratch with some Painted Lady eggs. The eggs were too small to [...]

Frazier Park and Mount Pinos, Los Padres National Forest CA

I was lucky enough this weekend to join Ken Davenport and friends in Frazier Park and Mount Pinos in the Los Padres National Forest. I was especially interested in getting my first look at a very rare butterfly called the San Emigdio Blue and Ken felt confident he could take us right to them. Our [...]

Butterflies – At Home and Abroad

At least once or twice a year now I’m sure to make a trip to explore the Kern River and Sherman Pass in Tulare Co. CA. It’s easily one of my favorite places on earth to roam with my camera in hand. The one constant is change and each visit holds surprises, challenges and adventures.My [...]

Lumpy pupates

Well the little guy almost got away: While I was preparing the ultimate photographic-metamorphosis-containment system Lumpy was exploring the kitchen. After some anxious moments I found him crawling upside down on the rails of the window screen just a few feet away from the potted Rue plant he’d previously seemed so attached to. I got [...]

Lumpy the Caterpillar

This is Lumpy: He arrived on a Rue plant we got at the local nursery. The idea was to attract some of the Giant Swallowtails I’ve seen flying around the neighborhood but since Lumpy’s entered our lives he’s become the main attraction. That’s impressive considering he was 1/2″ long when I took these first two [...]

Flagstaff AZ

On the way home to Santa Monica from Sedona AZ we stopped in Flagstaff where I photographed some butterflies on Schultz Pass Rd. I’d been very fortunate to receive some maps and tips from a local expert and was pleased to add two species to my collection that I’ve never seen before. First up is [...]