Photographer Profile:
Jay Cossey

Jay Cossey was Images’ first full time employee, and we still can’t seem to shake him. After 28 years here, you’d think he’d have found greener pastures by now—but actually, we prefer to think he’s right where he belongs.

Jay came to Images directly out of college with an Audio Visual Technician diploma. During the first 20 years with us Jay worked primarily as a photographer, but more recently he has turned his talents toward graphic design and copy writing as well as scanning and retouching photographs.

In His Other Life...

All along, in his life away from the studio, Jay has pursued his interest in nature: particularly in photographing butterflies, moths, and other insects. This personal journey has, for the most part, gone on without much fanfare or public attention. Over the years, Jay has quietly accumulated a substantial collection of professional quality images that have seldom been exhibited publicly.

There are some exceptions worth noting. Jay’s insect photographs are published in an Audubon field guide, a Robert Bateman Naturalist’s Diary, in The Butterflies of Canada, the Kaufman Focus Guide to Butterflies, and others.

Recently, the photo editor for National Geographic’s calendars stumbled upon this website and approached Jay to contribute to their first butterfly calendar. In the end, they chose 24 of Jay’s photos, and published the 2004 National Geographic Butterfly calendar.

Jay, chiefly through this website, is finally emancipating more of his photographs from the depths of his filing cabinet to share with anyone who might appreciate them. This will hopefully become a series of galleries that will help expose the beauty of creation through Jay’s cameras.

Jay's Natural History

My father, Eric Cossey, started collecting butterflies and moths when he was a teenager in the 1940s. As a young boy I became fascinated with the wonder of these creatures. They were always in our house, and a part of every camping trip we took as a family. Once exposed to these marvels of metamorphosis, my curiosity became unquenchable. I found myself chasing butterflies madly about the garden or meadow at every opportunity. I learned much of what I know from my father’s experience and supplemented that by reading every magazine, book and field guide I could get my hands on. Every bug book in our public or school libraries eventually turned up at our home, and before long I had many of my own first-hand observations from nature.

A devil on my son‘s shoulder Royal Walnut Moth Caterpillar (aka Hickory Horned Devil)

Nature publications occasionally showed great photographs of live butterflies on their pages, and I dreamed of taking pictures rather than catching and killing these beauties. While my father took great care setting and preserving the specimens he kept, no one could capture the elusive beauty that expired once their lives were extinguished.

When my father purchased an inexpensive 35mm SLR in the early 70s, I couldn’t wait to attempt to photograph butterflies myself. My first excursion’s results led me to believe it could be done! I could actually take pictures that surpassed the splendor of our butterfly collection, and show butterflies being butterflies. Equally important, I could now record life cycles not represented by our collection of pinned adult specimens.*

My Electronic Butterfly Collection

Jay’s Photo Philosophy

Priorities

1. To reflect and document the diversity and beauty of nature as revealed through insect life.

2. To show each subject in its natural environment with as little interference as possible.

3.  To show as much detail as is technically or practically possible with completely portable, self-contained, and affordable equipment.

One of my college instructors taught me that photography is the art of compromise. Actually, few activities in the real world are devoid of compromise, but whenever I have to choose between technical limitations that arise and difficulties with approaching certain insects, I always try to accommodate the guidelines listed above. One of the beauties of doing this on my own time is that I only have to please myself. I don’t have a deadline pressing me to get a particular shot at all cost. This affords me the luxury of not having to resort to tricks, like covering all the flower heads but one with pillowcases, or temporarily stunning butterflies in a fridge or killing jar. As a result, virtually all of my photographs are taken of live, free-range insects with virtually no interference from me beyond my mere presence.

So you can usually find me leisurely strolling through a meadow, down a path or country roadside, photographing whatever I encounter—whether it be insect, bird, reptile, amphibian, or flower—whatever captivates my attention. None of my family or friends can stand going with me, because I usually don’t arrive at any predictable destination—and certainly not on schedule. Most companions just end up frustrated because they can’t identify with not have a geographical goal and time-frame in mind. Since I don’t enjoy infuriating my friends, my photography is frequently a solitary experience—in terms of human company at least. The lives I encounter and relationships I engage in during these precious outings rejuvenate me. I may follow one butterfly for hours, or as long as it tolerates my intrusion. Time practically stands still on summer afternoons while I meander seemingly aimlessly, led by whatever happens along the way. It's what I love to do.

Occupational Hazards Photographer Eaten Alive!

There is something romantic and exciting about photographers who risk life and limb to get their pictures: hiding out in blinds for days on end, stalking dangerous creatures like wolves, bears or sharks. Okay, I must confess that the hazards I face are rather dull. I’m allergic to grass pollen and only cope by taking medication before embarking on my adventures. Poison Ivy is also a major contributor to my discomfort. Some meadows are infested with the stuff, and you may not know until days later that you touched it. Bee stings have been fortunately uncommon even though I frequently brush past stinging insects or nuzzle up to them for an intimate portrait. 

Ouch! Jay Makes Ultimate Sacrifice

Mosquitoes and biting flies are far more distracting than bees and wasps. I hate using DEET (gets in my eyes or mouth, and feels sticky on the skin), and only resort to it when biting insects make it impossible to stand still for even a second. Other occupational hazards include having to crawl on my belly down a country road or path to get a shot of a tiger beetle or “puddling” butterfly, worried that a car or ATV might come over a hill or around a corner to nail me. I also frequently venture out onto a bog or into a swamp to get closer to my quarry, which has its associated risks and rewards.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly “Mud Puddling” on Dirt Road

“You must have an incredible camera” people say. I try not to be offended by this well-intended comment. To a photographer, that’s almost like telling Robert Bateman that he must have a nice paintbrush. While I have, over many years, accumulated some very nice tools that help me make these photographs, some of my favorite pictures were taken using very inexpensive cameras and “cheap” optics. Go to my "Focus On" page to read more on this.

Silver Spotted Skipper Jay's first butterfly photograph (Practica camera with 50mm lens and close-up filters: 1973)

“It must take a lot of patience” is another one I hear a lot. What they probably mean (and are too polite to ask) is “Don’t you get bored chasing these silly things around all day?” The answer is an emphatic NO! In fact, I treasure the time I can spend without timetable or destination in mind. There is something deeply satisfying about just being. I mean “being” as opposed to “doing”. Being where I love to be, in nature; enjoying, witnessing, and discovering the creation that Someone obviously put so much thought into.

Do you sense a spiritual moment coming on? Okay, I confess that I believe in the Biblical Creator as opposed to a creation myth fabricated by human intellect. Without turning this into a religious essay, let me just explain that I see evidence in all of creation of a Creator. I personally cannot fathom how all this beauty and interdependence could be the result of random chance in cahoots with natural selection. I just don’t have that much faith in what passes for scientific fact. (After all, much of what they taugh me as scientific fact back in high school is today considered bupkis.)

Suffice it to say that there is an undeniable spiritual dimension to this activity of mine. My soul is irrefutably rejuvenated by these close encounters with nature, and I frequently sense that the Creator Himself is interacting with me on some level through His creatures with which I gambol. Is this just some colossal ego trip on my part? No; I think if some Being is awesome enough to create all of this, It could be quite capable of squandering a few moments of timeless eternity even on little old you and me. But I digress…

Go To Butterfly Gallery

Go To Focus On: Photographing Butterflies

Contact Jay Cossey

P.S. I welcome your comments. Let me know if you spot any errors or omissions, missing links, or if you have any suggestions. Thanks, Jay.

*I do not intend to suggest that I no longer “net and set” butterflies for our collection (I maintain my father's extensive collection). A well-maintained and documented butterfly collection is an extremely valuable asset, and I do contribute to ours from time to time. Many of the specimens were collected more than half a century ago and still look wonderful. Also, consider that these beauties were rescued from a destiny that includes far more horrible and long-forgotten fates. Their lives will never be for naught, for their beauty has been lovingly preserved to inspire future generations to study and appreciate the wonder that is nature!