afternoon sojourn into the butterfly jungle

aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
edited February 13, 2016 in Journeys
Ever since last year, my sister has been singing the praises of a special exhibit at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. She couldn’t stop talking about it – how the butterflies land on you and of the beautiful blue morpho. Although I’ve been to the Wild Animal Park many times, I’ve never gone when the butterfly exhibit was opened since this exhibit only opens one month out of the year and I’m rarely in San Diego during the month of April.

I figured it was time to change that and booked a flight down to San Diego just to see the butterflies. Unfortunately, San Diego was in the middle of a heat wave and we waited an hour+ in the sweltering heat to enter the exhibit. Finally, we made it threw the two sets of double doors and I found myself in a magically place where thousands of butterflies roamed free and landed on flowers, tress and people!!!! The exhibit is worthy of the long wait… I already know I’m coming back next year! :lust:lust

1. Contemplation, with butterfly. This lady picked a flower (a no-no) from the exhibit and held it out in hopes a butterfly would land on it . Her wish was granted!
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2. The Beautiful Blue Morpho – My sister was right – so magnificent. They’re brown on the other side and blue on the inside! And they were my favorite! This one had one wing slightly damaged.
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I wished I took a video of the inside of the exhibit, but forgot to place a memory card into my G9. The exhibited in housed in tall building, about two stories high, about twenty feet wide and about thirty feet long.

3. Orange Julia; that’s the name of the species
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4. Butterfly on forearm. Species: unknown. I’m slightly shocked that I was able to capture so much detail since I was handholding, using natural light and just the 100mm macro lens.
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I was told that over 8000 butterflies were bought for the exhibit! I did see some people use tripods and I did bring one, but I don’t really think you need one since the butterflies are almost constantly in motion. I handheld for these frames. I did see some people with off camera flash and I think that might have been helpful.

5. Come land on me. If you stand still enough (or not), there’s a pretty decent chance that a butterfly will land on you. You’re not suppose to pick them because it damages them, but they will land on you when tired or hungry.
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6. Green+purple: I loved the color combination
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7. The butterfly mooned me. Butterfly butt shot.
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I heard that if you go later on in the day, there is a higher probability of the butterflies landing on you since they’re more tired.

8. Green+pink works too
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9. A little princess (with tiara) and her butterfly. This little girl, about three years old, kept on chasing the butterfly and ended up grabbing them! I was so afraid that she would damage them, but this one survived. The kids just loved the exhibit and didn’t want to leave.
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Most of the kids inside the exhibit cried when the parents made them leave and everyone wanted a butterfly to land on them. A few landed on me, but I didn’t realize that and ended up hitting one when someone tapped me on the shoulder to inform me. I thought I dropped a lens cap when they touched me and my hands went to my pocket! I found butterfly and my lens cap. :huh Oops!

10. Damaged: The butterflies live between two days and two weeks. The rough treatment from visitors can also decrease their lifespan. This butterfly wasn’t doing too well and rested on my sister’s hat and didn’t want to move anymore. The zoo keeper stated that the butterflies can still fly if they have a damaged wing as long as the other wing is mostly in tack. This one wasn’t doing so well and nearing the end of its life. :cry
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If you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it!

C&C welcomed and appreciated and welcomed

Comments

  • DeeDee Registered Users Posts: 2,981 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2009
    Oh I'm so envious! You'd have to drag me out! Wonderful photos, the light must be really nice there. How nice to be able to see people appreciate wild living things! Well worth the expense and time for you. You'll have such wonderful memories and will always have your photos. I wonder if that little girl will remember her visit years from now.
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited April 24, 2009
    :drool

    Very nice. Especially the blue.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • Chrissiebeez_NLChrissiebeez_NL Registered Users Posts: 1,295 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2009
    Wonderful shots! all with the canon 100mm macro?

    I saw the blue morpho in the jungles of vietnam last year, they look so inconspicuous and when they fly away they turn a beautifull blue thumb.gif

    here is a shot from the outside http://chris-en-hils.smugmug.com/photos/367485133_vYys5-XL.jpg

    very nice set
    Visit my website at christopherroos.smugmug.com
  • Jane B.Jane B. Registered Users Posts: 373 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2009
    Going to be is St. Louis area? Butterfly House open year round
    This is the site for the Butterfly House in the St. Louis area http://www.butterflyhouse.org/default.aspx which is actually technically Chesterfield, MO. I have not been but have heard very good things about it. It also looks like photos should be no problem especially if for private use.

    Jane B.
  • tisuntisun Registered Users Posts: 435 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2009
    April, beautiful color saturation. Good call with using natural light. I went to a similar exhibit last year and had to use flash. The resulting colors don't look as good. I wished I had that 100mm macro lens to get closer to the butterflies.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited April 24, 2009
    Beautiful series! clap.gif
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2009
    Dee wrote:
    Oh I'm so envious! You'd have to drag me out! Wonderful photos, the light must be really nice there. How nice to be able to see people appreciate wild living things! Well worth the expense and time for you. You'll have such wonderful memories and will always have your photos. I wonder if that little girl will remember her visit years from now.
    My sister nearly had to drag me out of there! There was a wait to enter the exhibit, but they didn't care how long you stayed!

    That little girl nearly killed a few butterflies! That butterfly in the picture is squashed and tilted sideways because the little girl in the pink Cinderella dress went, compressed it with both hands and scooped the butterfly to chest level! When she opened her hands, the butterfly didn't fly away because it was too stunned!

    I really believe the people inside the exhibit really shortens the lifespans of the butterflies.
    520531307_mxKGK-L.jpg

    Just look at the wing! It's ripped with a torn edge and a symmetric tear! :uhoh I don't know if this is caused by nature, but many people (adults+kids) didn't respect these beautiful creatures. They wanted to hold them and instead of waiting for them to land, they grabbed them.
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2009
    ian408 wrote:
    :drool

    Very nice. Especially the blue.
    The blue morpho is my favorite!

    520248989_mRwJM-L.jpg
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2009
    Wonderful shots! all with the canon 100mm macro?

    I saw the blue morpho in the jungles of vietnam last year, they look so inconspicuous and when they fly away they turn a beautifull blue thumb.gif

    here is a shot from the outside

    367485133_vYys5-S.jpg

    very nice set
    Nice catpure of a blue morpho! And in the wild too! Wow!

    From looking at the outside wing, I wouldn't have know that it was so beautiful blue on the inside!

    But look at the differences the wing:
    519848053_AW6JY-L.jpg

    Not all of them were damaged, but I saw a of butterflies with wing issues. And the blue morpho was probably the most popular and people were trying to grab them.

    I shot mainly with a 100mm macro, but I also attempted some with my 70-200 with the 500d.
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2009
    Jane B. wrote:
    This is the site for the Butterfly House in the St. Louis area http://www.butterflyhouse.org/default.aspx which is actually technically Chesterfield, MO. I have not been but have heard very good things about it. It also looks like photos should be no problem especially if for private use
    If I ever make it to St. Louis, I will must stop by and visit!Thanks for the tip!
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2009
    tisun wrote:
    April, beautiful color saturation. Good call with using natural light. I went to a similar exhibit last year and had to use flash. The resulting colors don't look as good. I wished I had that 100mm macro lens to get closer to the butterflies.
    Nature light wasn't a choice -- I didn't bring any flashes since I loaned them out. rolleyes1.gif

    I didn't think about it until I saw everyone else with them!

    518856989_8vZJi-L-1.jpg

    The colors were flatter SOC, but I minor tweaks in PS (levels, curves, contrast and a hit of saturation at times) made them come alive and closer to what I saw with my eyes.
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Beautiful series! clap.gif
    It's easy to create beautiful pictures when you have such a beautiful subject.

    518264992_NdyHt-L-1.jpg
  • a110p0a110p0 Registered Users Posts: 257 Major grins
    edited April 29, 2009
    Wonderful Photos
    Really great photos of butterflies. That's an amazing exhibit and you captured
    it beautifully.

    Alvin
    Alvin
    Fremont, CA
    SmugMug Gallery
  • e6filmusere6filmuser Registered Users Posts: 3,376 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2016
    That is the Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina.

    Harold
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited February 13, 2016
    Special indeed, loved the series. I hardly see butterfly in our area, i remember in childhood there were many
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • e6filmusere6filmuser Registered Users Posts: 3,376 Major grins
    edited February 13, 2016
    aktse wrote: »
    Nice catpure of a blue morpho! And in the wild too! Wow!

    From looking at the outside wing, I wouldn't have know that it was so beautiful blue on the inside!

    But look at the differences the wing:
    519848053_AW6JY-L.jpg

    Not all of them were damaged, but I saw a of butterflies with wing issues. And the blue morpho was probably the most popular and people were trying to grab them.

    I shot mainly with a 100mm macro, but I also attempted some with my 70-200 with the 500d.

    This one is a Pale Owl Caligo telamonious memnon

    Harold
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