*** 17th Aug 2000 views, thanks everyone***
We had a really great day today, and this was appreciated by the London Wetland Centre's dragonflies who obliged by hovering nicely in range of the lens for long enough to allow me to focus on them. This one hovered in front of one of the hides and I took dozens of photos, most of them good! I've blown it up a bit; there was some background noise which I smoothed out. I hope you like it!
Several people have asked how I got this shot. Basically, a lot of trial and error, I set the camera to ISO 800 and shutter 1/1000in order to use the smallest aperture. Dragonflies are territorial, so they keep to the same area. In order to get the focus I set the camera to focus on grasses that they used to alight on frequently. I didn't zoom in too close, instead I used minimum zoom; when a dragonfly came into view and hovered then I had the chance to go in closer. It does call for a LOT of patience however, there will be a lot of rejects (not that this matters with digital), plus a fair number of shots of tails, wingtips, and places where there was a dragonfly a moment ago!
Dragonflies do quite often settle on grass or rush leaves, they also seem to quite like wood. At the London Wetland Centre there are a number of bridges with wooden parapets, and they will settle on these and stay put for quite long intervals.
Another way to catch them is to watch out for other photographers! I've quite often looked round to find a queue has formed behind me!
Best of luck!
02 Май 2010, 18:36 albyper
Eccezionale cattura,complimenti !!!!----------------
Extraordinary !! Definitely a winner!
and we'd love to have your photo added to the
group.
(bought to you by Fl
03 Май 2010, 04:19 lizannes_lightpaintings very beautiful this one
03 Май 2010, 06:24 Hor Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Crystal Award-- Invited Photos Only, and we'd love to have this added to the group!Wow! Fantastic macro!
03 Май 2010, 19:32 Richard Roscoe Photography
Great shot!
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Seen in my contacts' photos
04 Май 2010, 07:32 My Scotland
Stunning JIm,
Fantastic detail of the Dragonfly.
04 Май 2010, 18:27 brian doucette Very lovely capture.
05 Май 2010, 07:59 stevekeat images best viewed large
excellent
beautiful macro excellent detail and DoFThis is Perfect! This photo has been selected for The Perfect Photographer Award
Please add this image to The Perfect Photographer, Awards & Fave
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And tag the photo with "The Perfect
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05 Май 2010, 18:49 archer10 (Dennis)
Terrific, detail, colour and composition A
wonderful picture, it is very good.
A Big Fave
Please add this to www.flickr.com/groups/bigfavePlease add this beautiful photo to
CITRIT,Best of yours!
Citrit group
Your photo deserves a Ruby
Please add this photo to the The Ruby Awards group
You can tag your photo RubyPhotographerYou're invited to post this picture in Everyday is SUNday!
(INVITED photos - COMMENT on 2) NEW RULES!GOLD STAR AWARD (award or invite needed)
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please add the tag GoldStarAward
You are MY WINNER!
Please add this photo to
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Please add this image to The Perfect Photographer, Awards 2 Fave 2
And tag the photo with "The Perfect
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06 Май 2010, 09:39 Kirsten M Lentoft
Wow! This is NOT an easy thing to catch!!! So
well done!
----------------
You are definitely a Nature Watcher!
Please add this photo to http://www.flickr.com/groups/naturewatching/
and tag your photo "Nature Watcher"
invited with SICI (2008-09-14)
06 Май 2010, 23:35 Linda Cronin Your photo is GREAT... come join in the fun in the 15 Challenges group.
07 Май 2010, 07:52 soyland Great capture!............I have spent hours this summer trying to get one in flight and failed!
07 Май 2010, 16:21 ccindigirard
Awesome macro!! Fantastic details!!
This shot is amazing!
Please post your image to:
Macro Marvels (Invite Only) Post 1 Comment 2
Please tag with MacroMarvels
08 Май 2010, 04:54 Rhys Jones Photography.co.uk
Well done! This is a great shot!
An Invite To
SearchTheBest
Please tag "SearchTheBest".
08 Май 2010, 16:55 L.L. Geoff
This photo deserves a big HEART,
please post this beautiful picture at
Heart Awards Group .
09 Май 2010, 11:27 shorter.chip
Excellent Capture ! ! !
PLEASE POST THIS PHOTO :
NATURES ELEGANT SHOTS (Invitation Only)
Post 1 Comments 3 / Agrega 1 Comenta 3
TAG your photo " NaturesElegantShots
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10 Май 2010, 04:48 shmarinuma Amazing capture, very beautiful.
10 Май 2010, 12:11 mosilager
Great shot!--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
10 Май 2010, 22:39 blackbir/dk great shot... excellent
11 Май 2010, 15:11 Luxerta Congrats! I've been trying to take the same photo all summer. It's really tricky.
12 Май 2010, 03:50 James Whorriskey (Delbert Jackson) top capture !!!
12 Май 2010, 17:29 Through Bri`s Lens Beautiful colours.Brian
12 Май 2010, 19:56 Crazy Kernow Wow, Jim this is superb, so very well focused.
13 Май 2010, 06:31 pamelalong Great job on capturing the dragonfly. I am always so thrilled to see them!
13 Май 2010, 12:11 ~~Nelly~~ Amazing capture!
13 Май 2010, 21:42 bryanilona
That is an outstanding dragonfly capture - I
am green with envy and full of admiration!
I seldom see any as great as this, and there
is no way I can get the blighters to hover or
settle long enough for me to even line up on
them. This Great Photographic Art was made by a Diamond Class Photographer!
Please add your photo to Flickr Diamond: The Diamond Class
Photographer
Read the group rules please and tag your photo DiamondClassPhotographer
You may tag your photo again as flickrdiamond
14 Май 2010, 15:00 beautiful sunshine (on/off )
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Nature's Creations (Post 1, Comment 3), and we'd love to have this added to the
group!Great color and clarity. It amazes me the
different colors you see these guys come in.Amazing Bugz !! Definitely a Buzz and Bugz
winner!
and we'd love to have your photo added to the
group., Please Tag Your Photo with BuzzNBugzThe Buzz and Bugz Group,
15 Май 2010, 11:53 macfudge1UK
Just perfect! Wow! what a shot!
The dragonflies seem to be out much more in
September than earlier in the summer. We have
seen hundreds of them in the last few weeks.
None of them so helpful as yours :-)--
Discovered using FlickrFox. (?)
----------------
Congratulations !
This Fantastic Insect Image is invited to be
displayed and to join our Group Fantastic Insect Photography ( Invite only )
invited with SICI (2008-09-16)
----------------
You are my winner!
Please add this photo to
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invited with SICI (2008-09-16)
16 Май 2010, 07:30 Clyde Barrett Impressive detail and great colour... well done!
16 Май 2010, 16:48 moz_haps Very nice shot, very details macro indeed, and the dof is wonderful
16 Май 2010, 17:00 Stavenn Brilliant macro
Теги: Dragonfly Aerial Shot London Wetland Centre September 2008 Insects Dragonfly on wing Dragonflies on the wing Aerial insects Damsel fly mavbe? Aerial Dragonfly The Perfect Photographer RubyPhotographer GoldStarAward ABigFave ExCaptureMacro MacroMarvels Nature Watcher SearchTheBest NaturesElegantShots DiamondClassPhotographer OvertheExcellence SpecNature JediPhotographer Elite Photography DragonDaggerPhot GoldenHeartAward FantasticInsect SOE BEJ 1000+ Views Top Ten Fave 500+ Views 2000+ views insecte insect nature animal insectes macro libellules libellule dragonflies odonata odonates odonate