As I’m going through my 2020 photos, it’s clear that I apparently had a minor obsession with photographing the sun this year. Not that it’s a bad thing, but come on, Helzer, find a new crutch!
Thanks again for all your voting on these images. My son, last night, asked me if I’m actually tabulating all these votes. I responded by showing him the spreadsheet I’m using to track results. So, yes. Please put the numbers of your favorite images from September in the comments section. I really do appreciate it.
1.) Sulphur butterfly on curlycup gumweed. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 400, f/13, 1/500 sec.2.) Maximilian sunflower at the Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 18-300mm lens @300mm. ISO 400, f/13, 1/400 sec.3.) Cardinal flower. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/14, 1/60 sec.4.) Skipper butterfly at sunrise. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/14, 1/60 sec.5.) Southern plains bumble bee on Maximilian sunflower. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 10.5mm fish eye lens. ISO 320, f/22, 1/250 sec.6.) Meadowhawk. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/11, 1/50 sec.7.) Bandwing grasshopper on a sandbar. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/11, 1/50 sec.8.) Maximilian sunflowers and morning sun. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Tokina 12-28mm lens @19mm. ISO 320, f/22, 1/640 sec. 9.) Central Platte River. Platte River Prairies. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom Drone.10.) Meadowhawk dragonfly. Lincoln Creek Prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 320, f/5, 1/5000 sec.11.) Beggarsticks. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 500, f/11, 1/60 sec.12.) Southern Plains bumble bee and tree cricket. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 400, f/14, 1/100 sec.13.) Beggarsticks and wetland. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 10.5mm fish eye lens. ISO 400, f/20, 1/160 sec.14.) Virginia tiger moth caterpillar. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 500, f/14, 1/200 sec.15.) Virginia tiger moth caterpillars. Helzer family prairie. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 18-300mm lens @300mm. ISO 400, f/11, 1/800 sec.16.) Grasshopper and cardinal flower. Platte River Prairies. Nikon D7100 and Nikon 105mm macro lens. ISO 400, f/18, 1/160 sec.
Hi Angela. Not sure what to explain. It was a drone photo looking straight down at the sandbars/channels of the river. I was flying and scanning for compositions that I liked. This ended up being my favorite. The water levels were low but the vegetation was still green, so the combination of green, sand, and water turned into a nice color palette.
9 b/c so different
5, 1, 2 – 5 & 2 because I always gravitate towards suns and silhouettes – throw 10 & 15 in there, too.
1 because the yellows are so September
Remarkable photos! In my little grass garden here in seattle, I watched grasshoppers all summer using Andropogon gerardi and my Festuca californica. Not sure what they’re using the grasses for but they seem to love them.
The Prairie Ecologist 
#14 keep em comming!
#8
#5
1, 2, 7, 13, 14
16 and 5
5,8,10,16 (honourable mention for the dew-y caterpillar!)
8, 13,16
1, 9, 10, 14, 16
5,8,10
9,14
13, 15, 12 and 3, in that order.
5, 11, 12, 15, 16
5, 13, 15
2,3,10,14,15
4, 5, 8, 10
8, 13, 16
#3 (because deep red is an uncommon color on the prairie)
#14
#15
1, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
Can you explain number 9 to me, almost looks like a painting
thanks
Hi Angela. Not sure what to explain. It was a drone photo looking straight down at the sandbars/channels of the river. I was flying and scanning for compositions that I liked. This ended up being my favorite. The water levels were low but the vegetation was still green, so the combination of green, sand, and water turned into a nice color palette.
5.
6
8
13
12
10
14
15
16
1, 2, 5, 8, 14, 16
5,8,13,16
5,8, and 13.
8, 10, 1
5&8
1,8, 9, 13, 14, 16
Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures, this has been fun and reminds me that summer will return.
12,13,14,15
Exquisite photos, thanks for sharing!
1, 5, 16.
And 9 is really surprising; to me at least as I’ve never been there.
thanks for these views. winter is here in the East. Your photos remind us of the sunny days.
9 b/c so different
5, 1, 2 – 5 & 2 because I always gravitate towards suns and silhouettes – throw 10 & 15 in there, too.
1 because the yellows are so September
3 – who knew cardinal flower had lips!!
And 7, 14, and 16!
14, 2, 5, 8
8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15
3, 4, 7, 9
1
Boy you make it hard! 14,15,16, 3, 11, 12
5,3,9,7,8,14,16
8,9,13,14,16 – I love how the grasshopper looks like it is smiling with a huge set of teeth!
8,10, 7, 1, 16
1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, and 16.
5,4,15
1, 2, 4, 9, & 10
9,12,14,3,16
1, 13, 14, 15, 16
Number 9!
2, 14, 15
5, 16, 15, 13 Also love the smiley tooth look of the grasshoppers. Great close-ups showing these details of many small critters.
Love them all–but esp. 1,3,7,10,12,14, 16 love Grasshoppers! THanks!
5, 8, 13, 1
4, 9, 2
Remarkable photos! In my little grass garden here in seattle, I watched grasshoppers all summer using Andropogon gerardi and my Festuca californica. Not sure what they’re using the grasses for but they seem to love them.
1, 2, 5, 8, 10
7, 14, 16
4, 9, 5, 8, 14
1 9 13
#5, 16 & 14
5, 16, 1, 9, 7, 13
15,14, 4 – top 3 in that order.
15, 8, 2, 14