Today I learned..............

[snerd]

........... how hard it is to capture airborne dragonflies!!! Man, them suckers move fast! I finally settled upon a quiet bank at the mouth of the lake. Watched 'em awhile, and they actually did have kind of a "default" pattern over one particular area. And when they were coming through it, "if" they paused for a second, the sun was just right too! However, the pausing part was a major hurdle to overcome. I snapped maybe 10 shots with one at least in the frame, but how they will turn out, I'll know this evening when I can get to 'em. I was using my 7D with the 70-200mm 2.8L IS USM II at 200mm, f/2.8, ISO 200 on AI Servo and high speed burst mode, and was getting really fast shutter speeds. I was probably 7-10 feet away. I don't think they are going to be anywhere near good enough to post.

How do others capture these fast, bad boys?!

 

[Raj_55555]

lol... I wouldn't know, never caught one. But check out this crazy post by Danny. The crazy part is not the DIF (dragonfly in flight ) , but that all of them are taken in manual focus.

 

[snerd]

lol... I wouldn't know, never caught one. But check out this crazy post by Danny. The crazy part is not the DIF (dragonfly in flight ) , but that all of them are taken in manual focus.

Holy Cow! Those are great!! Yeah, I've got nothing in even the same ballpark as those LOL!!

PS: I thought about trying my macro lens, but it would cost me 100mm, so I didn't.

 

[TheFantasticG]

1 part focusing, 1 part luck, 2 parts effin ninja skills

Getting a DIF is extremely difficult. You can go the autofocus route, or prefocusing to a location where they fly or spray and pray.

Personally I have learned you gots to get right up to them and let them get comfortable with your presence. Then we they get into the hover modes it is easier to get that in flight shot. Even then it is incredibly difficult.

 

[nzmacro]

Believe it or not, you are using the right lens and if anything, think longer. A lot of these were taken with a 300mm lens and extension tube from a decent distance, maybe 2 meters (6 feet). Smaller than Dragonflies and Damsels.

http://www.birdsinaction.com/index.php/Macro-the-small-world/In-flight

So keep trying with that lens of yours, a macro lens means you need to get too close to the action ........ IMO.

All the best.

Danny.

 

[snerd]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[IzzieK]

I know of one person who had observed them and marked the place where they land and was able to tell that it will land again in the same spot each time it comes back. He's got good shots of them too. Well me? poor me is still relying on the fridge to slow my bugs down.

 

[nzmacro]

I know of one person who had observed them and marked the place where they land and was able to tell that it will land again in the same spot each time it comes back. He's got good shots of them too. Well me? poor me is still relying on the fridge to slow my bugs down.

Well me? poor me is still relying on the fridge to slow my bugs down.

Yes apparently it works on your kids as well, but its not something I would try. Its all about the challenge Reminds me to check on the Kingfishers I have in the fridge for BIF shots, it makes them fly slower !!!.

Danny.