My first dragonfly

[Camellia]

I know it's not fantastic but hopefully this is just the beginning because I love dragonflies. I was using my 24-105 lens, hand held, a bit of wind about.

[Katy Noelle]

...and so it begins. Congratulations! It's lovely! I'm sure that Dave would be able to better comment but I love its eyes and its legs and the way it's holding on to the blade of grass (or whatever that is.)

[wilgk]

Yep Dave's our man for this one, but I love a green background with anything in front of it - but this one, the way it looks like hands holding grabbed me too

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Raylee,

That's a really excellent first 'dragonfly' post. Composition is good, nice 'simple and soft' background, good focus and sharpness on subject - you wouldn't know it was windy from this.

Obviously would have been better without the foreground obstruction across the tail, but it isn't covering anything too significant.
Just a step more to your right - which I'm sure you don't need me to say, and either wasn't possible, or it flew off ... such are the trials of stalking these things.

Was it much of a crop from full frame? I ask because you have done very well getting that close with only a max of 105mm.

There might be some small improvement possible in PP from RAW, but the casual observer probably wouldn't notice it.

I can see I have some serious competition from 'down under'
It shows it is possible to get these at 105mm, so I'd better put my macro lens on instead of the 70-300mm next spring.

Well done,

[Camellia]

Hi Raylee,

That's a really excellent first 'dragonfly' post. Composition is good, nice 'simple and soft' background, good focus and sharpness on subject - you wouldn't know it was windy from this.

Obviously would have been better without the foreground obstruction across the tail, but it isn't covering anything too significant.
Just a step more to your right - which I'm sure you don't need me to say, and either wasn't possible, or it flew off ... such are the trials of stalking these things.

Was it much of a crop from full frame? I ask because you have done very well getting that close with only a max of 105mm.

There might be some small improvement possible in PP from RAW, but the casual observer probably wouldn't notice it.

I can see I have some serious competition from 'down under'
It shows it is possible to get these at 105mm, so I'd better put my macro lens on instead of the 70-300mm next spring.

Well done,

Thanks Dave. I did crop quite a bit. I just need to find more of the little buggers.

[mythlady]

Congratulations -- we don't have a lot of dragonflies around here, and I've never been able to catch one of the little buggers --

[Donald]

There might be some small improvement possible in PP from RAW, but the casual observer probably wouldn't notice it.

He doesn't!

Congrats Raylee, that's a beauty. The hairs on the legs. The ? (are they veins or just part of the superstructure adding strength) on the wings. You nailed it. And set it all against a very complementary background.