I’ve never had a whole lot of success trying to capture butterflies with my camera; it can be especially frustrating in the springtime, when they seem to be everywhere around Lake Natoma, even fluttering straight into my face at times.

The California pipevine swallowtails were certainly out in force last Tuesday. And just when I had given up all hope and was turning for home, I happened across one cooperative butterfly — and that’s all it takes!

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