Images of the Month
Each competition month one of our members selects a digital image to be designated as Image of the Month. They will be choosing one that has a particular appeal to them, not necessarily the image that received the highest score. Each month’s image is chosen by a different member.
Image of the Month - May 2025
“Karner Blue”
Photographer: Marty Keirnan
Selected by: Steve Port
About my image.
I've been traveling annually for some time to the Allegan State Game Area to photograph the common Lupine (Lupinus perennis) when it's flowering and became interested in the Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa sameulis) and trying to photograph it. The Karner's larvae are exclusively dependent on the Lupine, and the butterfly is listed as Endangered on the Federal endangered Species List, as well as listed as threatened on the Michigan State List. I had modest success last year and was determined to do better this spring, so I returned a couple times and was finally successful at finding and photographing this and other, males of the species. No luck with the females as yet. The butterfly measures about an inch across, and when the wings are folded in repose, it's about the size of your thumbnail. You need to get close to the ground to get any kind of pictures. I was using a Nikon D850 camera with a Nikon 200mm Macro lens. Settings were 1/1000 second at f/32, ISO 5000, handheld. Initial processing was with Topaz Photo AI for denoise, sharpen and focus with final processing in Photoshop Elements 2025, no cropping – Marty
Why I liked the image.
This is a gorgeous shot of an endangered butterfly species. The photo is technically first rate with great composition, sharpness, color and minimal noise. I’d photograph these for hours if I knew where to look. Great job! - Steve
Previous Images of the Month
MAY 2025 | CELEBRATE GRAND RAPIDS | KATHY KENDALL
APRIL 2025 | RWBB | JOE MANCY
MARCH 2025 | DANDELION SEED HEAD | JAMES ZEMAN
JANUARY 2025 | GIZA MAN | JOE MANCY
DECEMBER 2024 | SHINE ON | DIANE CHARVAT
NOVEMBER 2024 | GOLDEN GOLDEN HOUR | TODD HARBIN
OCTOBER 2024 | HIBISCUS DETAILS | JAN LEWIS
SEPTEMBER 2024 | BOMB BURST | JOE MANCY
JUNE 2024 | PROUD GRAD | REBECCA HUMES
MAY 2024 | THE COLOR YELLOW 01 | STEVE JESSMORE
APRIL 2024 | FOGGY NIGHT IN THE CITY | DELLA LANDHEER
MARCH 2024 | DIAGONAL LEAVES | MIKE MITCHELL
JANUARY 2024 | FEATHER NUMBER 4 | JACK EICHNER
DECEMBER 2023 | DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE | DIANE CHARVAT
NOVEMBER 2023 | THREE SISTERS | EVIE CARRIER
OCTOBER 2023 | FAMILY STROLL | DONNA DOBBS
SEPTEMBER 2023 | FRESH FISH | JOE MANCY
MAY 2023 | THE WATCHER | MICHAEL KOOLE
APRIL 2023 | SHARP TAILED GROUSE BATTLE | JAN LEWIS
MARCH 2023 | STREET VIEW | EVIE CARRIER
DECEMBER 2022 | FIRE DANCE | JEANNE QUILLAN
NOVEMBER 2022 | LADDER TO THE MOON | EVIE CARRIER
OCTOBER 2022 | TRADITIONAL SONGS | KATHY KENDALL
SEPTEMBER 2022 | THE JUGGLER | JAN LEWIS
JUNE 2022 | COFFEE BREAK | ROGER FRY
MAY 2022 | COLD SWIM | JIM KNAPP
APRIL | 2022 | CHIHULY PORTAL | VAN MAAS
MARCH | 2022 | FOCUSED DETERMINATION | JAN LEWIS
JANUARY 2022 | GRANDFATHER GOAT | DELLA LANDHEER
DECEMBER 2021 | SCULPTURE CURVES | RUSS BARNEVELD
NOVEMBER 2021 | PANDAS LOVE BAMBOO | JIM KNAPP
OCTOBER 2021 | SEARCH FOR FITZ | EVIE CARRIER
SEPTEMBER 2021 | FOGGY MORNING AT RIVERSIDE PARK | REBECCA HUMES
MAY 2021 | COUSIN'S CONFRONTATION | JAN LEWIS
APRIL 2021 | MAN IN WINDOW | RICHARD JOHNSON
MARCH 2021 | KINDERGARTEN JOY | MIKE BERGEON
JANUARY 2021 | THE CIVIC | EVIE CARRIER
DECEMBER 2020 | MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM-1 | STEPHEN BURGSTAHLER
NOVEMBER 2020 | HONEYCOMB SKYLINE | STEPHEN BURGSTAHLER
OCTOBER 2020 | TOWER CLOCK | STEVE PORT
SEPTEMBER 2020 | CARDAMOM COFFEE | STEPHEN BURGSTAHLER
JUNE 2020 | DOGWOOD | DIANE CHARVAT
MAY 2020 | BACKLIT BEARD | REBECCA HUMES
APRIL 2020 | FLAMENCO DANCERS | LARRY HOWARD
JANUARY 2020 | MUSHROOMS | JERRY KEIFER
DECEMBER 2019 | SO, NOW WHAT DO I DO? | JEANNE QUILLAN
NOVEMBER 2019 | ARTESIAN AT WORK | KAREN THAUER
OCTOBER 2019 | BIG RED IN THE WINTER | ANDREW SCHWALLIER
SEPTEMBER 2019 | BUTTERFLY IN PINK | DELLA LANDHEER
JUNE 2019 | BEACHED SHIPWRECK | RANDY NYHOF
MAY 2019 | DEM BONES DEM BONES | RUSS BARNEVELD
APRIL 2019 | STURGEON BAY SUNSET | RANDY NYHOF
MARCH 2019 | PICTURED ROCKS | EVIE CARRIER
JANUARY 2019 | BRIDAL VEIL FALLS | MARK DARNELL
DECEMBER 2018 | WATER BALLOON | MIKE BERGEON
NOVEMBER 2018 | AUTUMN RED LEAF | RANDY NYHOFF
OCTOBER 2018 | DANDY WOOD DUCK | JAN LEWIS
SEPTEMBER 2018 | SUNFLOWER SUNSET | CHRISTINE DARNELL
MAY | 2018 | MAKE A WISH | REBECCA HUMES
APRIL 2018 | PROTEST | RUSS BARNEVELD
MARCH | 2018 | CHICAGO RIVERFRONT | RANDY WEGENER
JANUARY 2018 | SOAKING UP THE SUN | STEVE PORT
DECEMBER 2017 | SUNRISE | EVIE CARRIER
NOVEMBER 2017 | BRITISH METAL | RANDY ZWIERS
OCTOBER 2017 | BANANA FLOWER | RANDY ZWIERS
SEPTEMBER 2017 | STILL WATERS AND VIBRANT SKY | MARK DARNELL
JUNE 2017 | DEVOS MOBIUS | ROGER FRY
MAY 2017 | A MAN AND HIS DOG | ROGER FRY
APRIL 2017 | SOUL SEARCHING EYES | JAN LEWIS
MARCH 2017 | BIKE POLO | MIKE MITCHELL
JANUARY 2017 | SCOTTSDALE SUNSET | ROGER FRY
DECEMBER 2016 | JUNKYARD STARTUP | LINDA GREER
NOVEMBER 2016 | CITY VIEW | ROGER FRY
OCTOBER 2016 | YOUNG WRANGLER | JEANNE QUILLAN
SEPTEMBER 2016 | BIG RED AT NIGHT | MARTIN KEIRNAN
JUNE 2016 | 5TH AVENUE WONDERS | RANDY ZWIERS
MAY 2016 | TINY DANCER | REBECCA HUMES
APRIL 2016 | JUMPING SPIDER HOLDING FLY | CATHY KIEFER
MARCH 2016 | NICE TO MEET YOU | JEANNE QUILLAN
JANUARY 2016 | VIEWING THE CITY | GORDON KREAGER
DECEMBER 2015 | ICESCAPING | STEVE PORT
NOVEMBER 2015 | DEFEATING THE IMAGE OF DEATH | CATHY KEIFER
OCTOBER 2015 | WATCHING GULLS | KATHY KENDALL
SEPTEMBER 2015 | THE SHOE | DIANE CHARVAT
JUNE 2015 | WELL HELLO | JAN LEWIS
MAY 2015 | IT'S A LONG STORY | STEVE PORT
APRIL 2015 | ANT CAUGHT | JERRY KEIFER
JANUARY 2015 | TETON BARN 3 | RANGER STEVE MUELLER