Fabulous fritillaries

[Steve Foss]

I love fritillaries. They are just so cool, and so easily approachable. And July and August is fritillary season in the North Country. These, according to my butterfly guide, are aphrodite fritillaries.

All with Canon 10D, 100-400L IS at 400, iso400 at f6.3, handheld.

Often, a closed buttery fly shows more field marks for ID than an open one.

Not as sharp as I'd like, but OK.

[jonny_redhorse]

just love those butterfly photos!.......and nice they are Steve!........I noticed "clouds" of "cabbage whites" as I was on the snake trail yesterday...so thick that it looked like white large snowflakes as I disturbed them along the trailside.........quite the site to behold! jonny

[Tom Wilson]

Steve,

The top one is really nice. Nice light, beautiful bokeh, and good sharpness. IMO the crop is a little odd being cut to a square, I think a little more room to the right would make a slightly stronger image. It is definitely a keeper.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks for the kudos and the IMO, Tom. I like the composition of the third one best, it just isn't sharp enough to suit me. As for the first one, I usually leave a little more room in whatever direction the subject is facing, but after comparing both crops I liked this one better. Sometimes I like to go against conventional wisdom.