But finding butterflies in the wild can be a random occurrence, and even when you do find them, they often fly in such erratic patterns that it makes it unbelievably challenging to get a decent shot before they are gone again. So how does a nature photographer get an opportunity to have access to several butterflies in one area so the chances of getting good images are in their favor?
One solution is that many people these days are planting butterfly gardens, which essentially means that they specifically cultivate the plants and shrubs that nurture and feed butterflies. If you can find a butterfly garden in your area, this will make your chances of getting some great butterfly photos much better.
Happily, here in Florida there are even better opportunities to have access to hundreds of butterflies at one time in a relatively small enclosed area. One of the best spots that I have found so far for this kind of "butterfly heaven" is Lukas Nursery in Oviedo, FL. The plant and flower nursery is very large too and would keep a good flower photographer busy for some time, but the butterfly encounter is a screened-in area that allows you to get up close and personal with several kinds of butterflies as they go about their routine of gathering nectar.
There is a $6 charge for the exhibit as of now, but it is well worth it to get the kind of photographs that are possible there. If you go in the summertime, be sure to bring plenty of water as the butterfly area is not air-conditioned and it will get warm, but that's a minor issue for us wildlife and nature photographers, right? Here is a link to find out more about the Lukas Nursery Butterfly Encounter.
These photos are from a recent visit to Lukas Nursery just a few weeks ago:
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| Monarch butterfly on a gout plant |
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| Great southern white butterfly |
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| Gulf fritillary butterfly |
See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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