Photography at the Monterey Bay Aquarium :
Migration of the Majestic Monarch by Jeff Bentz
I love photographing the amazing Monarch Butterflies . Each time I venture out for butterfly photos I challenge myself to improve on the images that I ’ ve taken on previous visits . This can be a hit or miss proposition , but you can increase your odds of a successful trip by taking a few variables into consideration .
The first thing to consider is where to go . There are three locations along the California coast that are popular among the Monarchs . The largest is the Butterfly Sanctuary at Pismo Beach , and the only State Monarch Reserve is in Santa Cruz at Natural Bridges State Beach . But one of the best places to photograph these incredible beauties , and one of the closest , is in Pacific Grove aka “ Butterfly Town U . S . A .” The Pacific Grove Sanctuary is a small and intimate setting offering stunning photo opportunities in relatively close proximity to the butterflies . On one of my visits I witnessed a butterfly land on the back of a little girl ’ s hand , she grinned from ear to ear and stood like a statue until the butterfly flew off .
The community of Pacific Grove has fully embraced the Monarch migration throughout their community . Every year , on the first Saturday of October , the city of Pacific Grove celebrates the return of the Monarch Butterfly with a Butterfly Parade and Bazaar .. The inaugural parade was held in 1939 .
The creation of the butterfly sanctuary in Pacific Grove was funded by tax dollars , approved by the voters , and is maintained by committed volunteers . You often find volunteer docents at the sanctuary with their green vests on and their spotting scopes set up . They are knowledgeable and helpful in answering questions from the many visitors , and their scopes allow the visitors to get a closer peek at the clusters of butterflies in the eucalyptus , cypress and pine trees . a tripod to ensure a close-up and sharp photo . If it ’ s warm outside and the butterflies are active and closer to the ground , a mid-range zoom will work . And just in case you find one latched onto a low hanging branch you might want to bring a macro lens to get the intricate details on the butterfly ’ s wings . A flash on your camera isn ’ t necessary . Natural light in early morning and late afternoon will provide a soft diffused light that will be flattering to the butterfly ’ s orange and black colors . You will have to be patient as the sun changes position . The light moving through the trees will illuminate your subject at various times so try to anticipate where the light is moving and be ready to grab the shot .
The Pacific Grove Sanctuary is just another beautiful and amazing experience available right in our own backyard . Being able to photograph the monarch butterflies so close to home in their natural environment is pretty awesome . Whether you are capturing photos for your Instagram or trying to create a fine art piece for your wall , it ’ s fun to get out there and be around something special . Put the monarch sanctuaries in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz on your calendar for late October and November and bring a picnic lunch . If you would like to help the monarch migration you can plant some native milkweed in your yard . The female monarch will lay her eggs on the underside of the milkweed leaves which will start the metamorphosis process . We are incredibly fortunate to have these amazing creatures nearby .
Jeff Bentz is a travel and landscape photographer in Gilroy , CA . Follow him on Instagram : @ jeff _ bentz _ photography View his portfolio : jeffbentzphotography . com
The next consideration is choosing when to go . The monarch migration season is from October to March with an optimal window for viewing in November . To capture photos of the clusters in the trees , also known as roosts , arriving in the morning is better . Studies have found that the monarchs need temperatures above 50 ° F on sunny days or 60 ° F on cloudy days to be warm enough to fly . As temperatures rise , the butterflies become more active , providing for better photo opportunities of butterflies in flight .
The equipment needed is subjective . For the clusters at the top of the trees you will need a 400mm or greater lens and
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