Monarch Madness

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 23, 2012497 views22 comments

I made this yesterday in a native tall grass prairie in central Minnesota. I've shot this prairie many times, and this is the best that I've ever seen the wildflowers there.

I blended several exposures to get all the butterflies. This is NOT the same butterfly over and over. There really were tons of 'em out there! I had to composite it because normally it would be a bit tough to get THIS many of the little critters in the frame at once.

FOR FUN: CAN YOU FIND ALL THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES in the image? Post your guesses here and I'll tell you the answer in a few days. Good luck!

Comments

22 comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on July 23, 2012 at 10:55 PM

I love this. It's just fun to look at. I'll guess 10.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on July 23, 2012 at 11:33 PM

This is a really neat shot! Love the comp and the bright colors. Butterflies are hard to capture IMO, so I like your idea of blending the shots to get multiple b-flies in the frame. This wouldn't have been possible had it been windy, like I experienced so many times on the prairie in Kansas! It might make this image pop a little more to add a little unsharp mask (20%, 50 pixels, 0 threshold). I think John Murnow told me about this little trick and it really adds a nice pop to most images (experiment as necessary, of course).

My guess is 11.

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on July 23, 2012 at 11:41 PM

Kory,

"Whimsical" was my first impression - fun, beautiful color and a great nature story.

I'm guessing 13-14, but without a large version... we're kinda handicapped! ;-)

Fun, and a great image.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on July 24, 2012 at 1:52 AM

Very cool shot, really enjoy the summer feel of this. I see 13 monarchs.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Basil Greber on July 24, 2012 at 1:58 AM

I can see 12 of them.

I think it's a very nice idea well executed. I also like the vibrant greens and blues in your composition. With all the butterflies at different sizes adding depth, it's like being there. Well done!

Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on July 24, 2012 at 4:23 AM

Delightful image. I see 12.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on July 24, 2012 at 9:20 AM

A very happy scene and I love butterflies

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on July 24, 2012 at 9:23 AM

13 Wonderful job. The butterflies seem quite numerous this year. I've tried numerous times to get a shot like this. Thanks for posting a successful one. I love it

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 24, 2012 at 10:20 AM

Beautiful collection of wildflowers and great sky. The monarchs are a special addition and I'm jealous because I'm lucky to see one on rare occasions in my garden. I see 12 monarch clearly with a 13th possible (mostly hidden by coneflowers right of center). Sure wish there was a larger version both for viewing and for counting.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on July 24, 2012 at 12:28 PM

This is a very beautiful, striking image and in my opinion the butterflies really takes this over the top. I, too, would like to see a larger image. I'll guess 15.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on July 24, 2012 at 2:03 PM

Very nice colors with the grass, flowers and blue sky, my count is 12, well done, looks like a beautiful place.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Kory Lidstrom on July 24, 2012 at 2:28 PM

Thanks for the comments, everyone! They are always appreciated.

Regarding the lack of a large version, that's because then it would be TOO EASY to find them all. There's no fun without a challenge, right?

KEEP THOSE GUESSES COMIN'!

Registered on November 19, 2008, 49 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 24, 2012 at 4:24 PM

That is just a blast to look at.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on July 24, 2012 at 4:48 PM

13 of them? looks like a fantasy or dream, great idea and execution.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Nathan Apodaca on July 24, 2012 at 5:53 PM

Okay, my answer is 12. Regardless off the energy I put (and squintiness of eyes), I cannot see a 13teenth monarch.

Oh, by the way... INCREDIBLE IMAGE!

Registered on November 16, 2011, 67 Posts, 1127 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on July 24, 2012 at 7:29 PM

Such a different and enjoyable image! Very well conceived and captured. I don't know how many butterflies you've captured, but you've got enough of a critical mass to make for a stand-out image.

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on July 24, 2012 at 8:15 PM

So bright and clean looking. I love the butterflies and especially the intriguing technique you used to capture them!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 24, 2012 at 9:29 PM

Love it, Kory. I think I see 11, which means there are probably twice that. Would this technically be referred to as "monarch blending"

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Harding on July 25, 2012 at 4:58 AM

This is a great shot Kory...I got up to 16... but it's the end of a very tiring day on the computer! I often find that images with blue sky's have to much cyan in them and I correct this using selective color in PS. But this may only be the way I see the sky?
I would like to see you try it on this wonderful image and see what you think.

Registered on January 19, 2011, 33 Posts, 408 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on July 25, 2012 at 10:07 AM

Sweet, love all the flying flowers!

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on July 25, 2012 at 4:22 PM

OK, it's taken me two solid days and nights of counting, but I'll guess 1,548,317 flowers. Oh, wait, we were supposed to count butterflies??? Love the image. Beautiful, whimsical, creative, and extremely well done.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Kory Lidstrom on July 27, 2012 at 10:20 PM

And, the answer is: TWELVE! Congrats to Basil, Youssef, Mark, Jim and Nathan for getting it right. And, thanks again to everyone for looking and commenting.

Registered on November 19, 2008, 49 Posts, 1035 Comments