A big thanks Mark [emoji106]Hi @Graham - Keeled Skimmer and what looks like a Common Darter (the yellow stripe on the legs is a clue, Ruddy Darters have completely black legs).
Hi @gramps - a male Four-spotted Chaser
Hi,Common Darter at Cors Erddreiniog, nature reserve on Anglesey.
Common Darter 6th June 2016 by shirleyr2009, on Flickr
Many thanks for the information.Hi,
Don't think it is a common darter, it's a demoiselle not a dragonfly.
Maybe a large red but not 100%
Hi Molly, it's a Large Red Damselfly.Common Darter at Cors Erddreiniog, nature reserve on Anglesey.
Common Darter 6th June 2016 by shirleyr2009, on Flickr
Still not Seen any flying, hopefully over the next week I'll get a chance.Downy Emerald
Downy Emerald Dragonfly by Martin Billard, on Flickr
Downy Emerald Dragonfly by Martin Billard, on F
Downy Emerald Dragonfly by Martin Billard, on Flickr
View attachment 66523 View attachment 66524 Male and female Beautiful Demoiselle ~ Found at Edern # Lleyn Peninsula, along the edge of a wood, there was not any water at all lots of them were flying around the leaves of trees.
Emperor Dragonfly.
Never really tried this before. Its very difficult!!. Anyone got any tips? Ended up using manual focus to get me in the ball park and then tried to bump the AF with the tracking sensitivity turned right down on my 1DX.
I have been doing inflight dragons for a while and still learning. It is very addictive.
I usually go for 300-400mm. 300mmf4 is good for me as it is light and sometimes with a 1.4TC but have used a 70-200mmf2.8 with 2TC as well. I prefer to use my 1Div but have tried with other bodies but the key is to have good noise control. I have never bothered with AF as prefer manual. A mate of mine can get his 7Dii and 100-400mmii to focus but is will go for the contrasty bit ie the tail.
Start by finding a dragon patrolling it teritory an Emperor is a good one to start on and Chasers are the most difficult and a good clear background is hard to find but does help. They will patrol up and down a bank or pond so pitch up at a turning point or to one side if you want head on shots.
Camera settings I use are Manual. Shutter 1/800 for wing blur to 1/1250 for less blur. F6.3 will get a reasonable DOF but you will need higher if head on shots if you want all the tail in focus. Auto ISO but keep an eye on it I really don't like going too high, as low as possible if you are cropping shots. Dragons don't start flying until it is wams so the sun is usually high which can cause highlights in their eyes.. I make sure my diopter is focussed. then Manul focus on something about the distance from where the dragon will be. I now keep my left eye open and track the dragon only closing it to make sure I have focus. After a bit of practice I can now track a dragon through the viewfinder using manual focus. As they have a lot of contrast over a pond or distant back it is reasonably easy. I don't tend to go for high frames per sec either gut press the shutter when it looks sharp IS helps in 1 or 2. Head on shots are my favorite now but are a bit tricker but worth it for the smile
Happy Hawker by Martin Billard, on Flickr
A brilliant series there, Paul. Well taken
Hi Graham, #2 is a female Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis). # 3 is a male White-legged Damselfly (P.pennipes). #1 has stumped me for now. It is. An immature female Coenagrion, but which one I am not sure, I'll have to get back to you.Hi,
Really not sure on these 3.
At a guess I would say that photo 2 and 3 are the same although M and F,
South of France.
View attachment 66656 View attachment 66657 View attachment 66658
Thanks for your help.
Thanks Mark for your ID, So much to look for :banghead:Hi Graham, #2 is a female Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis). # 3 is a male White-legged Damselfly (P.pennipes). #1 has stumped me for now. It is. An immature female Coenagrion, but which one I am not sure, I'll have to get back to you.
Hi GrahamThanks Mark for your ID, So much to look for :banghead:
Could No. 3 be
Cercion lindenii - Goblet-marked Damselfly ?
Loving # 1Several more Damselfly images.
Cheers Paul.
Female White-legged Damselfly (uncropped). 16th-June-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr
Female White-legged Damselfly. 16th-June-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr
Damselfly antics in my garden/yard. 10th-June-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr
Right in on the Damselflies eye here...I used both the Raynox 250 and 150 stacked together for this shot, also the home made Pringles diffuser...Image is cropped some.
Damselfly antics in my garden/yard. 10th-June-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr