You Knew Fireflies Were Magical, But These Photos Make Them Even Better

Fireflies are magical–there’s no question of that, especially on a summer evening when they sparkle through the backyard. Photographer Vincent Brady is no exception to this opinion, and captured their magical lights, called bioluminescence, to be technical in a series of photos that brings back memories of chasing the twinkling insects to watch them light up in your hands.

Brady was used to creating long-exposure, time-lapse photos of stars, where their light would appear as trails across the sky. After an unusually warm spring in Lake of the Ozarks, MO, he got the idea that he could do the same with fireflies.









The results are long-exposure night photographs in which the fireflies’ light is captured as glowing trails, making the landscape light up–literally–and allows us to have a real-time record of their movements. The recording of this ephemeral flickering is especially poignant when you consider that at the longest, fireflies only live for seven days.

Brady’s appreciation for fireflies has only increased with this series, and he encourages everyone to appreciate the friendly glowing beetles as well. “Fireflies just bless you with their presence, light up, make love, and call it a life.”

You can see more of Brady’s work on his site and on Facebook.

Via My Modern Met

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