Three Dragonfly Shots

[quinte]

1.

2.

3.

 

[MLeeK]

Beautiful! Love the eyes on that last one! I love dragonfly shots in general. Those suckers don't land long. You've got to be nearly invisible and at the ready when they do!

 

[4meandthem]

Love the smile on the last one!

 

[mishele]

Nice shots. All that they are missing is a pleasing background.

 

[quinte]

Agree about the pleasing background. This was next to my metal building shop at my business. The dragonfly was, for some reason, determined to stay on the same dead twig on an old potted plant up next to the shop. I could not move anything for fear it would fly off, so took what I could get. There was no way to get behind it for a head on shot, because every time it got up from the twig, it would land with it's head facing the grass, and it's rear to the shop. Hence, #2 had some color in the background, but all the head shots had the shop wall in the background. Oh well, I tried.

 

[mishele]

It was a very nice try and still good shots. Things don't workout perfectly for every shot....=) Keep shooting!!

 

[quinte]

They absolutely do not stay in one place very long MLeek, however, this one was an exception. I was at work, and saw this one. I got near it, and it hovered and landed back on the same twig. I was able to get close without too much bother to the dragonfly. I did not have my camera at work, so I ran home and got it. Twenty minutes later, it was in the same place. I was able to full frame it with my 90mm Tamron, which means I was able to get very close. If it flew, it would come right back. I was even able to set up a tripod right in front of it. So, I felt very fortunate to have a very cooperative dragonfly, although the surroundings were less than ideal. I wish they were all that calm!

 

[Photographiend]

You are going to have to tell me how you get a Dragonfly to pose for a shot. I went to a local pond known for it's dragonflies. I have seen something like 6 species there. And I chased those things around for about 30 minutes before I decided I wasn't going to get a decent shot.

 

[quinte]

Every now and then one will be still. When the mornings are cooler, I think they are less active, but I have yet to find out where they rest at night and early am. Once it heats up, they are erratic. I love damselflies because they are less active and don't fly very far when they do move. Just keep trying, and you will find a cooperative one! One thing I have found, is find a place where they like, and be still. I tend to let them come to me. I have caught some in flight. They are very curious when you get in their space. They will just go back and forth. That is when I try to get them in flight, but still a tough shot.

 

[CaptainClick]

Just a boring scientific reason. Dragonflies are cold blooded so they move a lot slower during the early morning. They need the sun to heat their blood up in order to move at any speed.

 

[Photographiend]

Great advice here guys! Thanks =)

 

[TheFantasticG]

Every now and then one will be still. When the mornings are cooler, I think they are less active, but I have yet to find out where they rest at night and early am. Once it heats up, they are erratic. I love damselflies because they are less active and don't fly very far when they do move. Just keep trying, and you will find a cooperative one! One thing I have found, is find a place where they like, and be still. I tend to let them come to me. I have caught some in flight. They are very curious when you get in their space. They will just go back and forth. That is when I try to get them in flight, but still a tough shot.

Dragonflies and Damselflies and Robber Flies are all perching type insects. Dragons and Damsels tend to be terroritorial to boot. One of the critical aspects that allows them to be erratic is Dragons are one of the very few insects that can fly in any direction from any given position.

Just a boring scientific reason. Dragonflies are cold blooded so they move a lot slower during the early morning. They need the sun to heat their blood up in order to move at any speed.

True. Most of them have an internal temp of ~110F or so. I have also come to find that the type of Dragonfly photographed here is one of the easier breeds to photograph.

Like anything else, knowing more about your subject makes it easier to photograph them.