So I decided that I hadn't gotten anywhere near enough good Dragonfly pics this summer like I had hoped so I decided to make the most of some of my holidays and go get some.
I forked out a decent amount of cash for the Canon drop-in CPL filter for my 200-400 so I decided to use that too. I'd originally got it for the airshows this year but I hadn't received it in time for Airbourne/Eastbourne and Shoreham didn't quite go as planned either as most people know.
Sometimes it made life a bit more difficult with my exposures etc but it did help a lot with the colours since a lot of these were shot pointing up into the sun a little and still fairly early in the afternoon.
Up until this shot I'd forgotten to rotate the CPL so I wasn't really getting the full polarising effect. This was the first one where I remembered to do so and I definitely noticed the difference in the colours I was seeing in the viewfinder. It was a little under exposed but not too bad.
1
Oak Tree Rest by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
My lens was on my monopod for once which made it easier to get a hand over to rotate the CPL. It's in a stupid spot IMO as you can barely get to it under the part of the camera body that sticks out at the front/top but it's ok with a left hand. I sat in this same spot for a while getting shots of the Dragonflies which were around
2
Spangly by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
This isn't the best shot in the lot of them but it shows the effect I was getting with the wings in the light. Without the filter the wings were a lot more blown out due to reflections but the CPL cut that considerably and added these gold coloured glints.
3
Sparkly Wings by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
4
Ready To Pounce by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
5
Rear View by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
6
On A Ribbon by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
The CPL also allowed me to shoot straight into the reflected sun on the water which gave me this which I quite like
7
Light Balls S by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
I wasn't sure whether the shot would turn out ok with that much light in the shot so I adjusted my angle a little and got this one too
8
Green S by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
I forked out a decent amount of cash for the Canon drop-in CPL filter for my 200-400 so I decided to use that too. I'd originally got it for the airshows this year but I hadn't received it in time for Airbourne/Eastbourne and Shoreham didn't quite go as planned either as most people know.
Sometimes it made life a bit more difficult with my exposures etc but it did help a lot with the colours since a lot of these were shot pointing up into the sun a little and still fairly early in the afternoon.
Up until this shot I'd forgotten to rotate the CPL so I wasn't really getting the full polarising effect. This was the first one where I remembered to do so and I definitely noticed the difference in the colours I was seeing in the viewfinder. It was a little under exposed but not too bad.
1
Oak Tree Rest by Etienne Fournier, on FlickrMy lens was on my monopod for once which made it easier to get a hand over to rotate the CPL. It's in a stupid spot IMO as you can barely get to it under the part of the camera body that sticks out at the front/top but it's ok with a left hand. I sat in this same spot for a while getting shots of the Dragonflies which were around
2
Spangly by Etienne Fournier, on FlickrThis isn't the best shot in the lot of them but it shows the effect I was getting with the wings in the light. Without the filter the wings were a lot more blown out due to reflections but the CPL cut that considerably and added these gold coloured glints.
3
Sparkly Wings by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr4
Ready To Pounce by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr5
Rear View by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr6
On A Ribbon by Etienne Fournier, on FlickrThe CPL also allowed me to shoot straight into the reflected sun on the water which gave me this which I quite like
7
Light Balls S by Etienne Fournier, on FlickrI wasn't sure whether the shot would turn out ok with that much light in the shot so I adjusted my angle a little and got this one too
8
Green S by Etienne Fournier, on Flickr
Blue Sky
Bridge Crossing
