A kaleidoscope of Butterflies

Jun 4, 2013 · 468 words · 3 minute read

Kaeng Krachan National Park is a popular spot for bird photography, and clumps of patient men with long lenses can be found hanging out in the undergrowth in the hope of a passing tweet.

But our quarry was much smaller, and more evident. As you drive through the park you cross three streams, creatively named stream 1, 2 and 3. At each of these streams there are hundreds of butterflies, mainly clustered together in damp patches, sucking whatever it is they suck out of the soil.

The air is thick with butterflies in transit, and nearby bushes feature regular butterfly visitors; it’s butterfly photography heaven.

But after a few minutes of just soaking up the atmosphere, you realise that this may not be an easy snapping location. Butterflies on leaves bugger off when you come near, just as they do everywhere else, and the sucking crowds also take flight when you get close. Eventually they return, but just as you are focusing on one butterfly, another lands in front of your lens; they just have no respect for the photographic process.

Still, after macro outings where we would normally see a butterfly an hour, and that at a distance; this was something close to paradise. Even my camera bag attracted more butterflies than I would normally see in a month.

Nine out of ten butterflies prefer Lumix.

I tried lying on the ground, up close to the action.

Other than being rather uncomfortable and being stung by a wasp, more often than not my attempts at gaining focus were thwarted by another beastie landing in front of my target. So I pursued butterflies around the bushes, disturbing some ants who rapidly disappeared off a leaf and appeared on my leg a few moments later; more bites.

We spent many hours at the three streams. We had been somewhat concerned that our ladies might become bored; but they seemed similarly captivated and had a GF1 and EP1 to play with; so they happily snapped away all day.

Upon reflection, Nik and I both felt we had not made the most of the opportunity. We had behaved with the same level of wild-eyed enthusiasm as man released from prison and transported to a brothel (I surmise, I have not seen the inside of a prison or a brothel). A more considered approach would have provided more and better shots; we will have to return.

Here are some shots from the day, all taken with the E-M5 and the Olympus 60mm lens: