Photographer Vincent Brady had been shooting long-exposure startrail photos when he decided to apply the technique to photographing some of the most magical creatures in nature … fireflies!
He was on a trip to the Lake of the Ozarks, MO, when the fireflies appeared. Vincent told Reshareworthy.com, “The fireflies were just starting to show themselves when they arrived in the evening. So I got out of my car and set up the camera to do timelapse with the intention of stacking them together like startrails.”
“The first shot I did was with the rope swing. I really like the effect,” said Vincent.
Fireflies by the Rope Swing
“Of course, growing up in the Midwest I had many happy memories chasing and catching fireflies with my brothers and friends,” remembered Vincent. “Just like many other kids.”
Fireflies of Woldumar
“They are quite amazing creatures with their bioluminance communication, the light they produce is just so pleasant,” said Vincent.
Fireflies of Fitzgerald
“Feelings towards them could be drastically different if they bothered humans or bit them or were a pest,” Vincent told Reshareworthy.com. “But they just mind their business and bless you with their presence.”
Firefly love
“The shot I took of the rope swing seemed to be one of my favorites over time, and over the winter I thought it would be really cool to do a whole series of these firefly shots,” said Vincent. Having recently graduated with a photography degree, Vincent took his gear to the Ozarks over the Spring and Summer of 2013 on a mission to capture the fireflies.
Fireflies at the Quarry
Vincent told Reshareworthy.com, “It’s amazing being out there at night cruising the lake under the stars with the fireflies throwing their disco party all around you.”
Fireflies in the Creek
“I would setup in the evening in the blue hour, right after the sun went down, watched for certain areas where they became more active, focused and let the camera run.”
360 Firefly Panorama Over Lake of the Ozarks
“Most shots are a compilation between 500 to 1500 shots, 10 to 30 second exposures nonstop over several hours,” explained Vincent.
Fireflies and Lake of the Ozarks
“I spent the majority of June 2013 in the Ozarks chasing these guys, back home in Grand Ledge, MI they were just starting to come out when I got back,” he said. “So I worked on some more shots there.”
Fireflies & Tree
Fireflies in the Cove
Fireflies at the Grand Ledge
“Fireflies are one of my favorite things about Summer!” said Vincent. “They love lighting up moonless nights.”
Close up of a firefly
Fireflies are actually not flies, they’re beetles. Vincent wrote that they eat small snails and such when they are in the glowworm stage of their life and they don’t seem to eat anything in their short 24 hour to 7 day adult life.
Fireflies Mating
Vincent also created an amazing time-lapse video of the fireflies. He explained, “It took me a while to get this time-lapse video together as I’ve never put together anything like it …everyone loves fireflies, people should enjoy the video!”
Check out more of Vincent’s work on Facebook and his Website.
These photos were published on Reshareworthy.com with permission from Vincent Brady.
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