DragonFly Series

[dawgfanjeff]

These are great. Please tell me there is a 10,000:1 delete:keep ratio!

 

[mackguyver]

These are great. Please tell me there is a 10,000:1 delete:keep ratio!

I'm not sure about the others, but my ratio isn't that bad! It's really hard to shoot them, though, especially at 360mm / ~1.5-2x (180 macro + 2x extender) like my top photo, which is uncropped. They move fast, are timid and using a tripod is all but useless. I love the challenge of shooting them, but only take their photo if I happen to see one. I've never gone looking for them. The other guys photos are spectacular and I'm guessing they've put a good deal more effort into them and would be curious to hear about how they shoot them.

 

[neuroanatomist]

These are great. Please tell me there is a 10,000:1 delete:keep ratio!

I'm not sure about the others, but my ratio isn't that bad! It's really hard to shoot them, though, especially at 360mm / ~1.5-2x (180 macro + 2x extender) like my top photo, which is uncropped. They move fast, are timid and using a tripod is all but useless. I love the challenge of shooting them, but only take their photo if I happen to see one. I've never gone looking for them. The other guys photos are spectacular and I'm guessing they've put a good deal more effort into them and would be curious to hear about how they shoot them.

My keeper rate is decent. Dragonflies return to a specific perch repeatedly. I set up a tripod with a cable release, prefocus, and fire a burst. I didn't shoot any last summer, looking forward to using the 600 II (with a TC and an extension tube for more mag and a closer working distance – 1200mm frames ~4.5x3" at 12').

 

[sagittariansrock]

Amazing work, Helmut!

I'm also curious about your technique- how did you capture such beautiful shots of these fast moving flies?

 

[gary samples]

600mm Mark II 1Ds
no robotics used in these flight shots LOL

 

[nonac]

Great pics. If you want to get close to them while they are perched, go out early on a cool morning in the summer. They sit very still until the sun comes up and warms them up. Take a flash with a diffuser or a reflector to get some light on them. A bonus is that many times they have dew on them as well that can make the pic interesting. The one I show here was during the day. He just happened to land on a wood stake next to my chair while I was out shooting hummingbirds.

 

[IslanderMV]

These are some amazing shots in this forum ! The inflight picts are really cool. I have only a few shots in my collection to contribute. My favorite is a pair of Meadow-hawks mating.

60D 100-400mm at 400, 1/1000, ISO160, f/5.6

 

[sanj]

Helmut and all: Good stuff!!

 

[Eldar]

600mm Mark II 1Ds
no robotics used in these flight shots LOL

Spectacular shots Gary!

 

[funkboy]

This was long long ago at the bottom of a ravine in rural Greece up to my armpits in a creek (and also before I had decent post-prod skills!):

EOS 10D and Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2.8 (C/Y mount, Shell adapter). Shot wide-open at minimum focus distance & damn lucky with the razor-thin DoF.

 

[Krob78]

There are some crazy, amazing images here! Here's a few of my more humble offerings...
All shot with 5D MKIII and 100-400mm

 

[Krob78]

This was the very first image I took, the day my brand new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens arrived, back in 2011! Needless to say, I kept the lens! ;D
7D & 70-200mm f/2.8 II

 

[CarlTN]

Hi,

I'm new here. As many others, i used Canonrumors for news about new cameras and lenses. For example Eos 7D MK II and a "real" 4.0 400mm.
Well, except Winter, i'm not a birder, i would say, i am part of the Macro fraction. But i like tele lenses, 200mm onwards is fine. Some kind of freudanian complex?
The solution, at last for me, was simple, flying dragonflies. A few days ago i found a dragonfly thread in the animal kingdom, but only a few pictures in the thread. That's the main reason for me to register.
Most of my pictures are handheld, except "early morning" macros and long time exposure.
Until August 2013 i'm use MF for flying dragons, since then i'm using AF. Well, i have bought last year a 2.8 300 MK II and use since AF.


Sympetrum striolatum

Aeshna cyanea

Aeshna cyanea

Aeshna mixta

Best regards

Helmut

Quite nice!

 

[CarlTN]

Spectacular shots Helmi2010!

Here are a few of mine!

I like yours the best so far, great job!

 

[CarlTN]

600mm Mark II 1Ds
no robotics used in these flight shots LOL

Great work Gary!

 

[smallfries]

Here's a couple more to add to these amazing dragonfly pictures. Love that they tend to land repeatedly in the same spot

 

[Click]

This was the very first image I took, the day my brand new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens arrived, back in 2011! Needless to say, I kept the lens! ;D
7D & 70-200mm f/2.8 II

I really like those shades of green.

 

[fishprof]

Dragonflies and damselflies are my favorite macro subjects. The details of the wings and other aspects of their anatomy are so interesting and photogenic. At last count, I had decent images of about 100 species. Hoping for more this year. Keep those great dragonfly photos coming!

Shot with Canon 7D and Sigma 150mm macro with 1.4X TC, all in northern FL.

Halloween Pennant
Painted Skimmer
Comet Darner
Say's Spiketail

 

[Helmi2010]

600mm Mark II 1Ds
no robotics used in these flight shots LOL

Great shots Gary!

Is this Aeshna multicolor?
live in europe and unfortunately there are not many Dragonflies species here.

Best regards

Helmut

 

[Helmi2010]

Hi,

A few older pictures, 3 flying dragons and one sleeping.

Aeshna cyanea, Eos 7D, EF 4.0 300mm, 1/640, F4, ISO 200, MF, Handheld, almost uncropped

Aeshna mixta, Eos 7D, EF 4.0 300mm, 1/800, F 6.3, ISO 200, MF, Handheld, 40% crop

Aeshna mixta, Eos 7D, EF 4.0 300mm + 1.4X TC, 1/640, F 9, ISO 320, MF, Handheld, almost uncropped

Anax imperator, Eos 7D, EF 3.5 180mm Macro, 1 Sec., F 9, ISO 160, MF, Tripod, uncropped

Best regards

Helmut