Black Swallowtail
(Papilio polyxenes)
Foraging flowers
Fluttering wings
Beat
Ragged and torn
Membranes stretched
Over
Skeletal veins
Luminescent patches
Cling
Blues scatter
Iridescence seen
butterflies / butterfly bush / Cars / Cottonwoods / Insects / Trees
Lightning Rainbow Flutters 39.1 @ 312
Off Center & Not Even 
Wonderful capture of the rainbow through the window in the tree. That poor ragged butterfly…The car is pretty amazing.
Thanks, Susan. I’m sure you got some good shots of the butterfly.
The photo of the lightning striking the earth is awesome !
Thanks, Harry!
Neat lightening…neat post in all! LOL! Your mileage pride is showing.
Thanks, Resa. I love getting great gas mileage. I know you don’t drive, but out here driving is part of daily life.
I admire your lightning and butterfly photographs. After so many failures I’ve given up trying with those subjects.
Your fuel gauge is superb design…..simple but easy to read like old aircraft cockpit gauges.
Thanks. Lighting is easy to do with a tripod when there is a lot of lightning activity. 1) Point your camera at the area were lightning is striking. 2) Get the lens to focus on something at infinity, and lock the focus. 3) Set your lens to ƒ/16 or higher, set the shutter on Bulb, hold the shutter open, and wait for lightning to strike. 4) Close the shutter after lightning strikes. 5) Repeat for more lighting shots.
Lightning is like a strobe flash, therefore, you need to have the lens stopped down so the photo doesn’t become overexposed from having the shutter open while waiting for lighting to strike.
The way I did this lightning shot, and others that were hand held, is I look through the lens with my finger on the shutter release, pressing it halfway. The moment I see a strike, I press the shutter in hopes of getting the strike that often follows the first strike. This photo is the second strike. This method ends up with a lot of shots with no lightning.
Thank you….now I’ll wait for storm season.
We are starting our monsoon season, which consists of short, intense thunderstorms in the late afternoon, that generally clear up by evening.
impressive to catch that lightning!
Thanks, Couriers.
Love that rainbow through the trees. Seeing the lightning is a powerful reminder of how incredible nature can be. It’s fascinating! Then you see the small wonders of the butterfly in contrast and it all comes together beautifully. Lets not forget the awesomeness of the MX-5. I know y’all are still having a blast! 🙂 Wishing each of you a really wonderful week ahead!
These are great! I bet you get some awesome photographs during monsoon season!
Thanks, Tiffany. Monsoon season provides some good opportunities.
What a stunning contrast this butterfly makes on the purple flower. I love way it’s wings look rough. They are so amazing and delicate! I also love how you included your car instruments at the end. It doesn’t have many miles on it. Wow
Thanks, Michelle. The car is like new, but the poor butterfly has seen some rough times.
Oh I know. I was going to say that but I was hoping it wasn’t so. Poor thing 😦 still beautiful
That lightning strike is amazing! Hope you didn’t hang around outdoors … love the splash of the rainbow.
Thanks, Julie.
Thanks for the lightning, Tim! I love those photos.
Thanks, Lavinia.