About this Product
Monarch Butterly Grove #2, Pismo Beach
In the early morning light, I stood at the precipice of a journey—a journey of both butterflies and family, a journey of migration and love.
I found myself on a different kind of photographic adventure. For years, I’ve captured the majesty of lions, elephants, rhinos, and gorillas in far-flung corners of the world. But on this particular evening, I was drawn to the most delicate of creatures, embarking on an unforgettable journey to the Monarch Butterfly Grove.
As the first rays of the sun touched the coastal landscape of Pismo Beach, California, I couldn't help but draw a parallel between the awe-inspiring migration of the Monarch butterflies and my own travels, which had taken me on a long detour out of my way as I drove to my home in the Sierra foothills.
In all the world, no butterflies migrate like the Monarchs of North America. They travel up to three thousand miles, a feat that surpassed even the most ambitious migrations of other tropical butterflies. They are the only butterflies to undertake such a long, two-way journey each year, and in some way, my own extended detour to my family mirroring theirs.
As I went out to the Monarch Butterfly Grove that crisp morning, the echoes of their incredible journey filled my thoughts. Countless monarch butterflies, their wings like stained glass windows, covered every available leaf and branch. They clustered in the trees, creating a living, breathing mosaic of orange and black. These delicate creatures fly like a living kaleidoscope, to the same winter roosts year after year, just as I had embarked on my own migration to be with my daughter and grandchildren.
The air was scented with the earthy fragrance of pine and the salty tang of the nearby ocean, a reminder of the beauty and diversity of the natural world. I marveled at the way nature intertwined with our lives, guiding both the butterflies and me on our respective migrations.
And there they were—a breathtaking sight. Masses of Monarch butterflies filled the trees, their wings painted with the hues of a thousand sunsets. They moved in harmony, as if following a secret map imprinted in their hearts. It was a sight that spoke of determination and resilience and tradition. I had to keep reminding myself, “those aren’t leaves – they’re butterflies!”
With my camera, I captured the butterflies as they rested and as they flew, their elegant dance a reflection of the bond that unites generations. Just as they returned to the same roosts year after year, it was my own legacy of love for my grandchildren that had brought me on this scenic detour.
The Monarch butterflies serv as a poignant reminder of the profound connections that span the natural world and the human heart. Their migration is a testament to the awesome power of nature, while my own migration was driven by the love that binds me to my family.
As the morning sun ascended, I knew that I would soon be on my way. Later that morning would find me leaving the coastal haven of Pismo Beach, just as the butterflies embarked on the next leg of their epic migration. Yet, in my heart and memory, our migrations would forever remain intertwined—a tapestry of life, love, and the enduring beauty of nature.
With a contented heart and a camera filled with memories, I left the Monarch Butterfly Grove and headed back to my home in the Sierra foothills, carrying the warmth of this experience with me forever.
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
Find more great images of wildlife and landscapes in my shop: https://goimagine.com/richardmilesphotos/
PRODUCTION & SHIPPING TIMES:
Glossy Photo Paper: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.
Ready-to-Hang Canvas: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.
Acrylic Prints: 10 days for printing, 5 business days for shipping.
Metal Prints: 14 days for printing; 7 business days for shipping.
SHIPPING DETAILS
There are 5 ways to print these images.
1) Premium Glossy Photo Paper are high quality, professional paper-prints. Sharp, Vivid and rich Color sets this apart from a casual photo print. You'll feel like you're there. Premium Glossy Photo Paper will last a long time. This option is available in 8x10 inches, 11x14 inches or 16x20 inches. They are designed to be placed in a frame, which can be purchased separately (starting at a few dollars at your local artstore or online).
2) Ready to Hang Canvas are ready to hang right out of the box with zero assembly required. Ultimate convenience. Gorgeous finished look. It comes out of the shipping box finished and ready to hang with a simple nail in the wall. Canvas Prints are a well-known, high-end way of displaying photographs. 1.5 inch thick wooden stretcher-bars that give it shape, in the same way an oil painting is traditionally assembled. There are no staples or ugly lines visible on the sides (very important). Estimated delivery time for printing, assembling, packing and shipping is around 10 days.
3) Ready to Hang Canvas (split into 3 panels)
This is for larger pieces, and the photograph is split into 3 even panels, 3 separate canvas panels which put together make a single large image.
This gives a modern look, and allows spectacularly large sizes on your wall!
4) Acrylic Prints
Create eye-catching home decor with modern acrylic prints. Light refracts through the museum-quality acrylic bringing vibrancy and depth to your photos. The .22" thick clear acrylic produces superb image quality from edge to edge and absolutely stunning, brilliant color! UV resistant ink prevents fading. All sizes are ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box.
5) ChromaLuxe Metal prints
Unmatched color brilliance, superior durability and true generational archival qualities! The combination of unmatched color brilliance, superior durability and true generational archival qualities makes ChromaLuxe the perfect choice for image reproduction and the ideal choice for professional photo printing. ChromaLuxe metal prints are the perfect High-Definition medium for displaying artwork and photography. All sizes are ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box.
Richard Miles Photos
Meet the Maker
My name is Richard Miles and I’ve been in love with photography since I was a teenager, taking photos with an old Rollieflex camera my dad brought home from Germany. My goal is to travel the world taking pictures. I love capturing a moment in time and space. I hope my photos touch people.
I’ve never had confidence that my photography could be more than a passion, so I’ve spent a lifetime in the corporate world. Declaring “I’m an artist” is much harder.
Like a composer who hears a song before writing a note, I can “see” in my mind’s eye what it is I want to create. So this year I set out to “come out” as it were, as an artist.
I took a risk and joined a photographers group who encouraged me to put my photos up for sale. Even though I was insecure, I uploaded my best images hoping someone would buy them.
I’ll never forget the first time a stranger purchased one of my photos. I was out walking when I heard an unfamiliar “cha-ching” sound on my phone, letting me know that someone had bought my photo of Yosemite. “I’m on my way!”
I remember creating that photo, driving over snowy roads to Yosemite in winter. Up an hour before dawn, I venture out in the icy cold. My fingers are freezing! Breathing in the scent of pine, I see the waterfall across the valley, snow piling at the bottom. I sure could use a hot cup of coffee. The sky lightens, I click the shutter. I got the shot. And that’s the image I sold!
Feeling confident, I donated a photo of a vineyard at sunset to a local organization for their annual auction. And it got nothing! Not a single bid, not even a pity or mercy bid. It really shook my confidence. My hopes plummeting, I was ready to give up my dream.
Meanwhile, I had entered photos into a competition at the County Fair, hoping to at least get a mention. I walked up to the exhibit hall, almost turning back several times, my heart pounding. The July heat was oppressive, my palms wet. I hesitated, and finally peeked in. And there was my photo, prominently displayed, right in front! Hanging from my photo was a blue ribbon. First place! To my shock…every one of my photos ribboned. I won first place in the Landscape category. And second place. I was filled with joy.
My confidence restored, I got back to it. I promised myself that I would continue.
Since that first sale, I’ve sold dozens more to people I don’t know. In fact, I’ve sold over 150 photos to people all over the world. It brings me such great joy to think of my artwork in other people’s spaces. I love it when I see pictures of my photos hanging on someone’s wall. And I’m totally in it for that feeling.
Shop Policies
PRODUCTION & SHIPPING TIMES:
- Glossy Photo Paper: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.
- Ready-to-Hang Canvas: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.
- Acrylic Prints: 10 days for printing, 5 business days for shipping.
- Metal Prints: 14 days for printing; 7 business days for shipping.
SHIPPING DETAILS
There are 5 ways to print these images.
1) Premium Glossy Photo Paper are high quality, professional paper-prints. Sharp, Vivid and rich Color sets this apart from a casual photo print. You'll feel like you're there. Premium Glossy Photo Paper will last a long time. This option is available in 8x10 inches, 11x14 inches or 16x20 inches. They are designed to be placed in a frame, which can be purchased separately (starting at a few dollars at your local artstore or online).
2) Ready to Hang Canvas are ready to hang right out of the box with zero assembly required. Ultimate convenience. Gorgeous finished look. It comes out of the shipping box finished and ready to hang with a simple nail in the wall. Canvas Prints are a well-known, high-end way of displaying photographs. 1.5 inch thick wooden stretcher-bars that give it shape, in the same way an oil painting is traditionally assembled. There are no staples or ugly lines visible on the sides (very important). Estimated delivery time for printing, assembling, packing and shipping is around 10 days.
3) Ready to Hang Canvas (split into 3 panels)
This is for larger pieces, and the photograph is split into 3 even panels, 3 separate canvas panels which put together make a single large image.
This gives a modern look, and allows spectacularly large sizes on your wall!
4) Acrylic Prints
Create eye-catching home decor with modern acrylic prints. Light refracts through the museum-quality acrylic bringing vibrancy and depth to your photos. The .22" thick clear acrylic produces superb image quality from edge to edge and absolutely stunning, brilliant color! UV resistant ink prevents fading. All sizes are ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box.
5) ChromaLuxe Metal prints
Unmatched color brilliance, superior durability and true generational archival qualities! The combination of unmatched color brilliance, superior durability and true generational archival qualities makes ChromaLuxe the perfect choice for image reproduction and the ideal choice for professional photo printing. ChromaLuxe metal prints are the perfect High-Definition medium for displaying artwork and photography. All sizes are ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box.