It’s actually been a while since I took a photography outing so I felt a bit out of practice.  I figured the grounds behind the Museum of Science and Industry would provide ample opportunity to see birds, butterflies, flowers, among wildflowers and prairie grasses of Bobolink Meadows.   And I was definitely rewarded.

• Monarch: Butterflies are hard to photograph.  So when I saw this beauty on the nearby flowers, I almost stalked it!  It was close enough to me for me to wait in place – OK, so I only ‘stalked’ it with my camera!  But it was worth it, because I caught this beautiful monarch butterfly on nearby milkweed flowers.

• Dragonfly:   During my walk, I noted that dragonflies were out in a vengeance – well probably not with a vengeance, but more than one is a lot to me.  These beauties just zip by, their gossamer wings almost invisible.  First, you see their long, stem-like bodies flit by, and when they stop for a few seconds, you can see their full beauty.  In my pursuit of this one, one second it was there, and the next thing I knew, it was gone.  Thank goodness for a fast shutter speed!

• Purple Cone Flower: These native Illinois flowers can be seen in fields of flowers around the city and parks.  I love their unique shape, and tightly nestled spikes in the center.

• Wildflower Bunch: I just wanted to take this bunch of flowers with me.  But every landscape photographer walks with the maxim “leave no trace”, and in keeping with that, I could only take the image and leave the flowers.

 

• Day Lily (2): I am always entranced when I see the colorful day lilies dotted throughout the city – along the banks of Lake Shore Drive, in the potted medians on Michigan Ave., and throughout the parks.  So, when I get a chance to get an up close image, showcasing their vivid colors and long stamens, I try to get that image.  These two stood out for me from this walk.

A summer stroll with the camera on a Sunday morning — what fun!  I enjoyed the outing, and especially the chance to rekindle my love for outdoor and nature photography in the nearby meadow lands.  Hope you enjoyed these 5* images.

See more outtakes from this and other photography outings by following me on Instagram @eyevpointofview.