Dragonflies and Damselflies

[SteveC]

Better say the AF does not support voyeurs mode

There's the Canon cripple hammer at work, again.

 

[Click]

Yesterday I could get this one. I suppose it is a male brilliant emerald (somatochlora metallica):

Nice shot, Maximilian.

 

[AlanF]

I guessed this was a female Blacktailed Skimmer as she was hanging around with the men and would land on the ground. Fortunately, with a telephoto I could get a reasonable angle.

 

[Maximilian]

I guessed this was a female Blacktailed Skimmer ...

From the color you could be right. But the abdomen looks too round in profile. It should be flattened for a skimmer.
If it is indeed round I would guess this to be a young female darter, e.g. compare to this.
They turn more brownish when they get older.

 

[AlanF]

From the color you could be right. But the abdomen looks too round in profile. It should be flattened for a skimmer.
If it is indeed round I would guess this to be a young female darter, e.g. compare to this.
They turn more brownish when they get older.

You are probably right. The two females are quite similar but it does look like a young darter flirting with the skimmers.

 

[Click]

I guessed this was a female Blacktailed Skimmer as she was hanging around with the men and would land on the ground. Fortunately, with a telephoto I could get a reasonable angle.

Very nice shot, Alan.

 

[AlanF]

Thanks to Maximilian, I know that this is a female Common Darter. A much better shot than the last one.

 

[Click]

Great shot, Alan.

 

[AlanF]

I have never got this close to an Emperor Dragonfly before, it was just a few cm beyond the 3m mfd of the lens. You can see the wrinkles on its face!

 

[Maximilian]

I have never got this close to an Emperor Dragonfly before, it was just a few cm beyond the 3m mfd of the lens.

Looks like it has had some adventures...

Last time the weather was good enough I had the first time one of these sitting. Normally I only see them in flight and too far away for a shot.
The one sitting was closer than 2 m. When I recognized it and raised my cam it flew away. At least I could see one that close for a few seconds.
Maybe tomorrow...

 

[Click]

WOW! Great shot!

 

[AlanF]

Feeling a second class citizen because I haven't an R5, went to a lake with the old DSLR to see if I can still do BIF. My cameras all have a flaw that makes BIF difficult - no flying birds. Instead, got a DIF of an Emperor coming straight at me. It was 10m away.

 

[Click]

Excellent shot. Well done, Alan.

 

[Bert63]

Alan - fantastic images and holy smokes - which body and lens were you shooting on these DIFs?

 

[BeenThere]

Feeling a second class citizen because I haven't an R5, went to a lake with the old DSLR to see if I can still do BIF. My cameras all have a flaw that makes BIF difficult - no flying birds. Instead, got a DIF of an Emperor coming straight at me. It was 10m away.

View attachment 191661

What shutter speed are you using to freeze wing motion?

 

[AlanF]

What shutter speed are you using to freeze wing motion?

1/4000s

 

[AlanF]

Alan - fantastic images and holy smokes - which body and lens were you shooting on these DIFs?

I use either the 5DSR +100-400mm II or the D850+500PF for dragonflies. This was with the latter.

 

[AlanF]

I saw a dragonfly clearly carrying something, and followed it until it perched. It was an Emperor with, on examining the piccies a female Banded Demoiselle. The dragon rapidly munched through the lady.

 

[Click]

Beautiful pictures, Alan.

 

[HenryL]

You all have inspired me, I don't know how you get such fantastic images but I've been giving it a go and finally have a decent shot. In the shade so higher ISO and it's kind of eating some of the detail, but it's a start. The raw file shows the eyes very well, but sized for the web it's not coming through at all. This is at f11...and the entire head isn't even in focus. jeez haha.