Dragonflies - Communal Thread

[Cap'n Bill]

Emperor Dragonfly laying












Broad bodied chaser on owl (poolside ornament)

 

[BillN_33]

I think that this is a tired female Blue Emperor, (Anax imperator) ... I saw it is S Africa in March

female even though it is blue - look at the appendages

 

[Brachytron]

I got these this afternoon.

1.

Keeled Skimmer. (Orthetrum coerulescens) by jomike, on Flickr

Brilliant shot

 

[Nostromo]

A couple from me, not the sharpest in the world (large-ish crops)


untitled-171 by Dominic Rodgers, on Flickr

untitled-172 by Dominic Rodgers, on Flickr

 

[Shirleyr]

Two Southern Hawkers, every summer I see them in the same area, along the margins of a local wood. Edern, ( Lleyn Peninsula).

 

[Shirleyr]

Thanks to some-one on the web who posted this
(I'll try to find it so that I can credit the image to the person)

Thanks for taking the time for explaining this.

 

[Shirleyr]

On the edge of a wood again, no water about.

 

[Shirleyr]

Three Southern Hawkers, nice and warm for a change.

 

[the ghost]

quick one from today. still trying to capture them in flight

 

[BillN_33]

a couple of Damselfly shots with the Nikon V1 + FT-1 and Nikon 300mm f4 PF VR

 

[Jannyfox]

Love the first one, Bill. Absolutely stunning!

 

[crofter]

Common Darter Dragonfly. by Robert Nelson, on Flickr


Migrant Hawker Dragonfly by Robert Nelson, on Flickr

 

[Callophrys]

I had a go at in-flight shots yesterday morning; binned most of them but managed a few keepers. Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) taken with the Canon 7D mk2 + 100-400mmL mk2.

Thanks for looking,

Dave

Common Hawker 0619 by Dave O'B, on Flickr

Common Hawker 0630 by Dave O'B, on Flickr

Common Hawker 0603 by Dave O'B, on Flickr[/IMG] Common Hawker 0603[/URL] by Dave O'B, on Flickr

 

[Gaz J]

A few recent ones.

Emerald Damselflies Mating

Female Large Red Damselfly



Emerald Damselflies

Violacea Blue Tailed Damselfly

Blue Tailed Damselflies Mating

Thanks for looking.

 

[xmh]

Couple of shots from Hamwall yesterday.


Common Darter : Sympetrum striolatum by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr



Emperor : Anax imperator : Female by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

Common Darter Dragonfly. by Robert Nelson, on Flickr


Migrant Hawker Dragonfly by Robert Nelson, on Flickr

Hi Rob, Your Migrant Hawker is actually a Southern Hawker.

 

[crofter]

Hi Rob, Your Migrant Hawker is actually a Southern Hawker.

Ta for that,the finer points of Dragonfly identification elude me and the identification charts I've seen are not very clever.

 

[michael23]

A couple of common blue damsels if I am correct.

Common Blue Damsel by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

Common Blue Damsel 2 by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

 

[michael23]

Southern Hawker

southern hawker by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

 

[Shirleyr]

a couple of Damselfly shots with the Nikon V1 + FT-1 and Nikon 300mm f4 PF VR

I agree, stunning photos, every bit as sharp as can be.

 

[Shirleyr]

It must be the season for Southern Hawkers, just caught sight of one yesterday as the usual welsh drizzle came down. It was in a Hawthron tree and as the rain came harder it drew its body up as cringing. The photo is not good as I approach my polytunnel the camera catches the condensation.

 

[BillN_33]

Love the first one, Bill. Absolutely stunning!

I agree, stunning photos, every bit as sharp as can be.

Thanks - the Nikon V1 and FT-1 are really worth picking up used for shots like these as you get 2.5 x the focal length - so use a 300mm on a small tripod and it is really easy to use and you can "fill the frame" and get a 9MB image ...... also on a small tripod you can push the fvalue to f12 and f16 on a good bright day

V1 and FT-1 is probably under £200 used

 

[wezza13]

I believe it's a Male Emperor?

Taken today at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex

Male Emperor Dragonfly by Wez Filtness, on Flickr

 

[michael23]

@wezza13 that's a cracking capture!

 

[Brachytron]

I believe it's a Male Emperor?

Taken today at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex

Male Emperor Dragonfly by Wez Filtness, on Flickr

Certainly is.

 

[FourRingCircus]

Some lovely shots in here!

My wife has the 100mm F2.8 macro lens and she tends to do the 'beasties', while I normally concentrate on the larger stuff. However, never one to shy away from a challenge, I decided to try these dragonflies with the big guns.

These were taken on Saturday with 1000mm in front of the camera body, but from a distance of not less than 3.7m to subject:

 

[BillN_33]

Morning

Just a few quick comments John .. I hope they help

Image #1 - I'd bin it - too many problems

If you can get square on with Dragons and Damsels it really helps with DOF, (which you are always fighting with close ups) ...... especially if you focus on the head, which most do

I think that 1000mm is just too much with close ups, you can see the drop off of sharpe detail in your images - you lose detail - 300mm tends to be effective

getting the Black and White points "good" also helps

The images, particularly the last two lack contrast ....... and the conflicting DOF between wings and body distracts

 

[Happy Grumpz]

Dragonfly... by Matt Smith, on Flickr

 

[wezza13]

Couple from today, where I found out that nearby there are about 7 of these in one ditch

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Male by Wez Filtness, on Flickr

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Male by Wez Filtness, on Flickr

 

[FourRingCircus]

I think that 1000mm is just too much with close ups, you can see the drop off of sharpe detail in your images - you lose detail - 300mm tends to be effective

Totally agree Bill, but when the moment arises, the first combo to hand is the big one!! I was driving down a single track road earlier this week and saw a common hawker land on a fence-post. I stopped the car, grabbed the big gun and walked across some boggy verge towards the beast:

Of course, it's not 'macro'. It was shot from about 6m away, but as I crept a wee bit closer, it buggered-off. You gotta get what you can sometimes.

 

[Phil-D]

First go at Dragonflies, no idea what is, taken @ 600mm

 

[nickEnackEnoo]

Checking out the Giant Otters

 

[FourRingCircus]

Tried some backlighting of these guys at the weekend, all with the wrong lens of course (1000mm):

This one seems to have blue wings, but it's just the way they were angled to the sun (fluke):

Finally, I really like this one:

 

[BillN_33]

Tried some backlighting of these guys at the weekend, all with the wrong lens of course (1000mm):

This one seems to have blue wings, but it's just the way they were angled to the sun (fluke):

Finally, I really like this one:

all the images are below par for you John, OK you took them with a 1000mm effective lens ........stop messing around and use the proper focal length and you will get better images

 

[michael23]

A darter here taken in nirfolk, Sandringham yesterday, is it a ruddy darter or a common?

darter #1 Ruddy or Common? by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

darter #2 Ruddy Or Common? by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

A darter here taken in nirfolk, Sandringham yesterday, is it a ruddy darter or a common?

darter #1 Ruddy or Common? by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

darter #2 Ruddy Or Common? by Michael Johnson, on Flickr

Hi Michael, they are Common Darters. You can tell by the yellow stripe on the legs (Ruddy Darters have all-black legs).

 

[michael23]

Hi Michael, they are Common Darters. You can tell by the yellow stripe on the legs (Ruddy Darters have all-black legs).

Thanks Mark, I shall remember the leg fact for next time, one day I will find a ruddy darter.

 

[Brachytron]

Thanks Mark, I shall remember the leg fact for next time, one day I will find a ruddy darter.

You've probably already seen them just not noticed.

 

[michael23]

You've probably already seen them just not noticed.

indeed, just never managed to photograph one yet

 

[Shirleyr]

One of three in the garden to-day. Female Migrant Hawker.