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Submitted: September 6, 2009
Image Size: 318 KB
Resolution: 1024×683

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Model:DSLR-A700
Shutter Speed:100/800 second
Aperture:F/14.0
Focal Length:150 mm
ISO Speed:200
Date Taken:Aug 28, 2009, 3:23:15 PM

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Mourning Cloakby *duncan-blues

Photography / Animals, Plants & Nature / Invertebrates

The Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) is a quite rare and very beautiful large butterfly.

I found this one on the dam of a large artificial lake in Sweden during my vacation this year. It was very windy that day and the butterfly seemed to be desperate for shelter and lost it's shyness almost entirely. I could creep up to it quite closely to take a few pictures. Then it fluttered up, but instead of flying away, it settled down just a few yards ahead. After trying my luck a second time, it even settled down on my arm, my backpack on the ground, my camera and even on my thumb.
I've never before had the chance to take such a close look at a living butterfly, let alone such a stunningly beautiful one.
After marvelling it for at least 20 minutes while it kept fluttering around me, then settling down again, I persuaded it to leave my hand in favour of a granite rock to the side of the dam where it sat almost motionless for at least two minutes. I got my camera on a tripod and made this picture. It's a three-images High Dynamic Range (HDR) photo! The butterfly was posing perfectly, it didn't even move an antenna!

Edit: Uploaded new version of the file with hopefully improved colors and sharpness.

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Picture taken with a Sony Alpha 700 and a Tamron 70-200/2.8 on a Manfrotto tripod. Please note: This is NO stock image! Do NOT copy, alter or redistribute without prior permission!

!BOBSZY Sep 6, 2009

Wow they're over there too huh. Here they are known as the winter butterfly, since they've been seen out and about as early as February. I alway's admired the almost leatherlike look of the wings. I also have to give the butterfly credit to it's speed. It was one of the very few I never caught sucessfully when I was young.

*J-Y-M Sep 6, 2009 Hobbyist Photographer

Wonderful photo of one of my favourite butterflies...

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