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"I was able to get just the shot I wanted."
Famous for its strikingly beautiful black and orange wings, the Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) is a member of the Danaidae family. It is a butterfly
that I am particularly fond of, and one I have photographed on numerous occasions.
There are two major Monarch populations in North America, one in the west and
one in the east. The latter population migrates south every year to spend the
winter in Mexico. When the butterflies' wintering sites were first discovered
in the 1970s, their exact locations weren't made known to the general public.
So the first time I set off, I had only a vague idea of where and at what altitude
I'd find them. The sites have since become quite well known, and with up to a
million visitors flocking to the area each year, butterfly sanctuaries have been
established. Although this has made it more difficult to get a good shot, I like
the photos I get with the Olympus E-1 digital SLR even more than photos I took
years ago with film cameras.
As the temperature nears 20℃ at around noon each day, the Monarchs take to the
wing en masse. That's what I was aiming for, and thanks to the E-1, I was able
to get just the shot I wanted. The bright Four Thirds System lenses enable me
to use fast shutter speeds, and they have excellent focusing latitude. So I can
shoot without feeling rushed, and the images have a richness and depth that is
very similar to film.
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Monarchs
on the Wing |
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Monarchs Massed
on a Tree Branch
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Tagged Monarch
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| The Four Thirds System ― A Global Standard in Digital Imaging Performance
and Mobility |
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| The Four Thirds System is a global open standard for the design
of all-digital SLR camera bodies and lenses. Conceived to realize the highest
photographic ideals in a digital age, it brings greater choice to consumers,
and is a living example of our corporate slogan, “Your Vision, Our Future,” in
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