The Butterfly Experience...
p.1 #1The Butterfly Experience...
The 2026 Butterfly Experience (formerly Wings of Fancy) at Brookside Gardens.
Covid shut this wonderful display down for about 4 years.
I was a docent for many years when the "Wings of Fancy" was only during the summers. Saturday and Sunday mornings were devoted to 10 photographers and any/all eqpt they could bring.
Dan
All macro, various Canon dslr's and many Canon EF/EF-S macro lenses with ring flash or full flash
2007
Covid shut this wonderful display down for about 4 years.
I was a docent for many years when the "Wings of Fancy" was only during the summers. Saturday and Sunday mornings were devoted to 10 photographers and any/all eqpt they could bring.
Dan
All macro, various Canon dslr's and many Canon EF/EF-S macro lenses with ring flash or full flash
2007
May 14, 2026 at 01:09 PM
p.1 #2The Butterfly Experience...
The third is my pick Dan. They are a tricky subject
Morris
Morris
May 14, 2026 at 02:21 PM
p.1 #4The Butterfly Experience...
morris wrote:
The third is my pick Dan. They are a tricky subject
Morris
Thank you morris!
The key is that the "Photographer's Only shoot takes place at 0800. The conservatory is still very cool and the butterflies are very slow to move about.
Make for GREAT tripod or hand held compositions.
I use 1 or the other of the Canon ring flashes OR if I have my Canon APS-C body, I use the "fill flash"..
Dan
The third is my pick Dan. They are a tricky subject
Morris
Thank you morris!
The key is that the "Photographer's Only shoot takes place at 0800. The conservatory is still very cool and the butterflies are very slow to move about.
Make for GREAT tripod or hand held compositions.
I use 1 or the other of the Canon ring flashes OR if I have my Canon APS-C body, I use the "fill flash"..
Dan
May 15, 2026 at 11:55 AM
p.1 #5The Butterfly Experience...
johnohio wrote:
Wow great stuff Dan.
John
Thank you John!
I was my most favorite of photo ops!
I will post more.
Dan
Wow great stuff Dan.
John
Thank you John!
I was my most favorite of photo ops!
I will post more.
Dan
May 15, 2026 at 11:56 AM
p.1 #6The Butterfly Experience...
Beautiful creatures, thanks for sharing
Tom
Tom
May 15, 2026 at 01:11 PM
p.1 #7The Butterfly Experience...
Dan,
A beautiful set and nicely done
Chris S
A beautiful set and nicely done
Chris S
May 15, 2026 at 01:28 PM
p.1 #8The Butterfly Experience...
One and three are my picks, Dan'l!
Douglas
Douglas
May 16, 2026 at 05:09 AM
p.1 #9The Butterfly Experience...
LostLensCap wrote:
Beautiful creatures, thanks for sharing
Tom
Many thanks Tom!
Hope all is well in "West by-god Virginie"
Dan
Beautiful creatures, thanks for sharing
Tom
Many thanks Tom!
Hope all is well in "West by-god Virginie"
Dan
May 16, 2026 at 09:26 AM
p.1 #10The Butterfly Experience...
csinseattle wrote:
Dan,
A beautiful set and nicely done
Chris S
Thanks Chris!
Dan
Dan,
A beautiful set and nicely done
Chris S
Thanks Chris!
Dan
May 16, 2026 at 09:26 AM
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p.1 #11The Butterfly Experience...
douter wrote:
One and three are my picks, Dan'l!
Douglas
Thanks Douglas!
I have a "ton" from 10 years of shooting this event!
Dan'l
One and three are my picks, Dan'l!
Douglas
Thanks Douglas!
I have a "ton" from 10 years of shooting this event!
Dan'l
May 16, 2026 at 09:27 AM
p.1 #12The Butterfly Experience...
Nice images Dan, I’m sure that was fun being a docent there! #’s 1 and 4 are my favorites!
May 16, 2026 at 09:45 AM
p.1 #13The Butterfly Experience...
adventure_photo wrote:
Nice images Dan, I’m sure that was fun being a docent there! #’s 1 and 4 are my favorites!
Thanks Scott!
I voluntered to be a docent during Covid but the County would NOT allow it. The conservatory stayed closed for 4-5 years!
I will post more butterflies as time permits..
The last one the butterfly stayed on my shoulder for 2 hours.
Upon leaving, all photographers are required to be "searched" for "hitchhikers".
Also all camera bags had to be checked for "escapees".
Thanks Scott!
Dan
Nice images Dan, I’m sure that was fun being a docent there! #’s 1 and 4 are my favorites!
Thanks Scott!
I voluntered to be a docent during Covid but the County would NOT allow it. The conservatory stayed closed for 4-5 years!
I will post more butterflies as time permits..
The last one the butterfly stayed on my shoulder for 2 hours.
Upon leaving, all photographers are required to be "searched" for "hitchhikers".
Also all camera bags had to be checked for "escapees".
Thanks Scott!
Dan
May 17, 2026 at 08:25 AM
p.1 #16The Butterfly Experience...
kdacharya wrote:
beautifully done, brother.
Thanks!
Dan
beautifully done, brother.
Thanks!
Dan
May 26, 2026 at 12:14 PM
p.1 #18The Butterfly Experience...
Ted ellis wrote:
Great shots Brother.
These were from time gone by brother!
I have not been back to the "Flights of Fancy" exhibit since they re-opened last year from Covid.
Thanks!
Dan
Great shots Brother.
These were from time gone by brother!
I have not been back to the "Flights of Fancy" exhibit since they re-opened last year from Covid.
Thanks!
Dan
May 28, 2026 at 12:43 PM
p.1 #19The Butterfly Experience...
Really hard to pick one, picking two wasn't any easier so quite simply I like them all
The first is the same as the last I presume? And I like what you did in that last image!
Karl
The first is the same as the last I presume? And I like what you did in that last image!
Karl
May 28, 2026 at 07:49 PM
p.1 #20The Butterfly Experience...
Karl Witt wrote:
Really hard to pick one, picking two wasn't any easier so quite simply I like them all
The first is the same as the last I presume? And I like what you did in that last image!
Karl
The same species but looks like he/she were in a battle in #2!
I have many from these shows! It was a great experience for photographers! Yes it had a fee but don't care. It went to the County Parks and you have 3 hrs with only 10 photographers, any/all eqpt you can bring and hundreds of butterflies at your opportunity.
The conservatory is "climate controlled" so the early morning was cool and the butterflies were very lathargic. That made "up close and personal" very doable!
Last year was the 1st year since Covid hit and they removed the "Photographers Only" morning shoot.
Thanks Karl!
Dan
Really hard to pick one, picking two wasn't any easier so quite simply I like them all
The first is the same as the last I presume? And I like what you did in that last image!
Karl
The same species but looks like he/she were in a battle in #2!
I have many from these shows! It was a great experience for photographers! Yes it had a fee but don't care. It went to the County Parks and you have 3 hrs with only 10 photographers, any/all eqpt you can bring and hundreds of butterflies at your opportunity.
The conservatory is "climate controlled" so the early morning was cool and the butterflies were very lathargic. That made "up close and personal" very doable!
Last year was the 1st year since Covid hit and they removed the "Photographers Only" morning shoot.
Thanks Karl!
Dan
May 29, 2026 at 08:55 AM