It’s early afternoon at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. As a rule I only photograph in the morning. I try to quit by 11 A.M., before the sun overhead denies my images of all of the creases and shadows that make an image memorable.

But there I was at Blackwater, and it was teeming with fresh butterflies of many different species. So there I was on October 6th. I had lots of water and so I violated my own working rules = don’t photograph after 11:30 A.M and stop when it gets hot. So I shot away!

Euptoieta claudia so reminds me of why I enjoy doing what I do. It is as beautiful as any fine jewelry produced by the finest jewelry designers. When I’m 12″ away and see what you’re seeing, it’s uplifting. Yes it is.

And like magnificent jewelry: you see it, you admire it . . . and then it’s gone.

Jeffrey