dragonflys

[rdking647]

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[MichaelSoE]

1. i'd rec this 5x if i could because it needs to make the greatest page

ordinary duer's need to see exceptional photography once in a while ... plus dragonflies are just so coooool

[Mira]

2. Unbelievable - thank you so much for these

astonishing creations.

[Solly Mack]

3. Bugs!

Nice shots!

I love the dragon and the damsel.

[Pharaoh]

4. I love dragonflys

they are my totem animal. The 1st one is especially superb! My problem with photographing them is it is really hard to get close enough to them. Any tips?

[rdking647]

6. ive been doing a lot of practicing on them

the first one is taken with a nikon 28-300 lens. its a 100% crop. theres no real technique involved since you can stay far enough away to not spook them

for the others.
1. move slowly. dragonfly eyes are more sensitive to movement than objects. so if you move very slowly approaching them they are less likely to look on you as a threat
2. be aware of your shadow. if your shadow covers them they are more likely to fly away
3. if you observe them for a bit you will find they tend to return to the same plant stalk time and time again. you can use that to your advantage
4. mornings are best as its cooler and dragonflys are less active (although these where all taken around noon or so)

[mike_c]

8. entomological hint....

There's a technique used by serious Odonata photographers that allows you to pose them and set up exactly the photo you want, then take your time making the shot.

First, catch the dragonfly. This is often harder than it sounds, but there are lots of tricks to help, like taking advantage of male territory patrolling behavior. Still, a long handled insect net and fast reflexes are generally necessary.

Remove the dragonfly from the net. Most people find it easiest to pinch the wings together over the back. Hold the specimen suspended in the air.

Now comes the part that makes this work. Touch a small twig, grass culm, whatever to the insect's mandibles. It will clamp on reflexively (try it again if it doesn't bite the first time). Once it's gripping the twig, use the twig to gently turn its head around its neck, as close to 360 degrees as you can manage. Just like that head spinning scene in The Exorcist.

Turning the head (carefully-- don't tear it off!) stuns the nerve running from the brain to the ventral nerve cord, through the neck. Once stunned, the dragonfly cannot initiate flight. So now you can perch it wherever you like, pose it, arrange the optimum angle for the shot, etc. I have a friend who uses a macro stand to hold natural perches directly in front of the lens-- that way you can turn the camera to find the best backdrop, lighting, etc.

Seriously-- try it sometime. But you have to catch the dragonfly first.

I presume the insects eventually recover from the nerve stun, but to be honest, we usually collect the specimens too, so they're goners anyway.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. Much easier and less hamful to simply chill them like in the movies.

[mike_c]

11. yeah, but hard to do in the field...

...without hauling around a cooler-- and that only works for a few minutes. The flight muscle paralysis lasts much longer. Misting with water doesn't hasten their return to mobility. And most important, from an accuracy stand point, is that they can move and perch themselves naturally, hold their wings properly, and so on. They just can't fly. Chilled insects are either borderline escape ready, or they're inanimate objects in unnatural positions.

Anyway, that's the way lots of great odonate shots are taken. It's easy in the field, where the specimens are.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. You don't need a LOT of ice. A little dry ice in a thermal grocery bag would do it.

[rdking647]

13. not for me

i only shoot them naturally in the wild. no stunning,no ice etc.... just not my thing

[klook]

17. Thanks so much for your great work!

These are brilliant.

[Pharaoh]

14. that is super sharp

for a cropped 300 mm, but I have one so I will give it a go, just some of yours look kind of macro, so you must have quite an expensive 300 mm.

[rdking647]

15. some are done using a tamron 90mm macro

the super closeup ones used that lens

[NV Whino]

7. Dragonflies have a habit of landing in the same place all the time

Watch them for a while to see where they land, then go set up in that location. A remote is a plus, but I have shot hand held close ups by staying very still and waiting for them to return. They're really quite cooperative.

[alfredo]

9. Thanks for the tip.

[alfredo]

5. Beautiful work.

[blondie58]

16. wow!

These pictures are awesome! These are one of the few bugs that I like!