I was lucky to come across this Fritillary on Sunday. I had spent a couple hours in a retention pond and there were hardly any insects out. This time of year the critters are scarce, particularly in the early morning. Having no luck at the pond, I headed to the bayou. I didn't expect much down there but it's off the beaten path. Quite peaceful and I take solace from the weekly grind walking the banks. I headed up the bank-side prepared to head home with an empty memory card when I spotted this butterfly. This day, the cold morning was my friend as the butterfly was still roosting. Winter winds whipped the perch back and forth. Against my better judgement I setup my tripod and camera, hoping the wind would settle down. All the while the critter flapped in the wind but didn't rouse from it's roost. Eventually, there would be lulls in the gusts and I'd snap a few shots. The dappled light peeking through the clouds was pleasant so there was no need to augment with flash. This went on for well over an hour. Finally, the wind died for minutes at a time and the photographers patience was rewarded with some longer exposure high magnification shots and the butterfly rewarded with the opportunity to fly off.
Image specs: Canon 5D-III w/Canon 180mm @ ~1:4, f/8, 1/30, ISO 200 - Tripod Rig / Available light