10.24
There are too many websites out there to choose from so the ones I always return to are invaluable. Generally they are related to either photography or butterflies and occasionally both…like this site. But you don’t need a link for that anymore.
Photography
The Luminous Landscape
I think about photography every day and I always visit this site. It’s not because proprietor Michael Reichmann is from my hometown Toronto but this site is so current, so well organized and offers so much knowledge and good old fashioned smarts that it saves me a great deal of time and frustration. When I need to learn something about the art, science and business of photography, I start here. I also highly recommend their video tutorials for anyone wanting to learn more about digital imaging.
Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
I’ve loved my camera for years but never made any serious attempt to photograph butterflies until my first digital SLR. I took it to my favorite getaway in the San Gabriel Mountains and came upon a colony of Chalcedon Checkerspots. Somehow I had found a subject that really inspired me artistically and I was hooked. I started shooting hundreds of frames in a day and was trying to organize them when I realized I needed to know what they were called just to file them all. These days I rely on some field guides, generous and knowledgeable people and some great websites. Here are just a few I highly recommend for anyone with an interest in butterflies, which is probably you if you’ve come this far.
Butterflies and Moths of North America
This site is like having a field guide and really fast fingers. Very efficient.
Lepidopterology.com
The glossary alone is worth the trip for any amateur.
Southern California Butterflies
Dennis Walker has created a wonderful collection of species beautifully photographed in their natural habitat. If you’re in Southern California and want to learn about the local butterflies then you’ll want to visit this site.
Santa Clarita Butterflies and Moths
You could easily get lost for hours on this site. This is one of the few places you will find time-lapse videos of butterfly life cycles. Fascinating.