Print of the Week

Two frequent subjects combined - a great blue heron and sunset reflections. I like how the darker water frames the heron on the right. And the wonderful detail in the reflections.

Butterflies

Recently Shelley and I had an appointment in the area so we decided to stop at the Butterfly Gardens. It's been a while since we'd been and I always enjoy photographing the butterflies. I must admit I was a bit spoiled by Costa Rica butterflies (and moths) last year. Some of the butterflies were the same, but the difference is that there they were native. It was also a good chance to try out a new camera lens.

I think this is an Autumn Leaf - an appropriate name.

Of course, just because there are lots of butterflies in a small area, it doesn't mean they sit still to be photographed. Some of them never seemed to settle. These Common Palmfly (I think) weren't very colorful but they were cooperative subjects.

The Giant Owl Butterflies also tend to perch, although not always in the most convenient spots! In addition to the large "eye" they have quite elaborate patterns on their wings.

Tiger Longwings are one of the ones I saw in Costa Rica.

A few posed with their wings open.

The little pond makes a good background.

The Butterfly Garden also has an "Insectarium" with a variety of exotic insects.

At first it was hard to tell what was in this exhibit. But once you spotted the leaf insects there were lots of them. Amazing camouflage.

Mantises are one of my favorite insects.

This Jungle Nymph was huge! They get over 6 inches long and are one of the heaviest insects.

See all 32 photos in this batch.

Reflections

People usually look at me funny when they see me taking photographs of empty water. Even when they ask and I tell them it's the reflections they still don't get it. I expected the same when someone came along as I was taking this next photograph. But instead he said "reflections make good photographs, don't they". A fellow reflectionista.

To get color in reflections, there has to be something with color being reflected, like a rusty barge.

The other factor is the ripples in the surface of the water. To get a good abstract pattern you need enough ripples to warp the reflections into interesting shapes. But not so much that the reflections get destroyed.

Sometimes the reflections just make a good background.

See all 13 photos in this batch

Sidney Aquarium

We recently visited the aquarium in Sidney (the Centre for the Salish Sea). I enjoy seeing the weird and wonderful creatures that live in the sea around us. It's a challenge to take photographs at aquariums - not much light, dirty glass, reflections, people in the way. Sometimes I don't even try but this time I did and I got a few that I liked.

Nudibranchs are a favorite. "sea slug" doesn't sound very appealing but they can be very colorful. This Hooded Nudibranch isn't very colorful but has a fantastic shape, a bit like a venus flytrap.

They also look a bit like sea jellies.

Tentacles seem to be a common theme with sea creatures.

The fish here are quite different from tropical fish but they can still be quite colorful.

Last but not least, a few Decapods (crabs, lobsters, shrimp). "decapod" means 10 legs but they can have up to 38 "appendages", they just call 10 of them "legs".