Dif

[Bobobird]

Difficult one to nail but got one. Just wish it was facing me.

C&C always welcomed.



Edit - confirmed ID Green Darner.

[AB26]

Hi Bobo, 13 views, no reply, oops.
I know exactly how difficult it is to get that shot. Wont tell you that it would be better if the tail was not "cut" by the stem. You got it and you can do it again, facing you.

[MFCA]

Hi Bobo I agree with Andre, this is a very difficult shot, congrats on it. I tried one myself and no joy. Like Andre said go for the face of it and good luck.

[Muriel]

It may not be facing the right way but you sure got a good clear shot. Thanks for sharing
As new member here I would sure like to know what equipement was used to get these kinds of shots.

[gilliebg]

Hi Bobo; these are very difficult to capture, even with a long lens, so if you got this with your macro, well done indeed! Great detail and colour. I expect you have noticed that dragonflies frequently keep returning to the same reed or blade of grass; sometimes you can get set up, and then catch one just before he lands. Gillie

[Bobobird]

Thanks Andre, Marco, Muriel.

Clear shot with one facing me has been a long time target. Further out it is easier, but up close like this they are really difficult to lock focus. This one was about 10 feet away and I got lucky. Had been trying to get a shot off for nearly an hour.

Muriel - nothing fancy needed. Really!
This was taken with a 550D (T2i) and a 70-300L.
1/1000, f5.6, ISO 320. Wanted a bit of wing blur or could have done 1/1600-1/2000 to freeze it. I have lower then 1/1000s from other shoots and the wing blur was a bit too blurred for my liking so 1/1000 (maybe 1/1250) is about right.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Gillie.

Might have been easier to catch @150 with the macro lens then @300 with the tele but...

Yes most do but not these guys. They flit around the whole day. This particular species just does not behave the same it seems. The only times I have been able to catch one is when they just land in front of you. Very unpredictable this one.

With the more predictable ones it is possible to get reasonable shots with pre-focus.

[AB26]

Thanks Andre, Marco, Muriel.

Had been trying to get a shot off for nearly an hour.

Keep going Bobo, that is the spirit in photography, patience pays off.
Thanks to Muriel for asking - learned something there. 1/1250sec for a little blurr.

[Bobobird]

Yes, 1/1000-1/1250.

1/1600 gets this kind of shot.


1/250, gets this.

[jeeperman]

Nicely done Bobo. We have one here that seems to be very close to this one and yes...the patrol a large area and fast all day! I very rarely see them land and hover for mere seconds. It is a trick to catch them. I believe they are a Darner.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Paul. Yes a Darner.

They do land but unlike "normal" dragons have no particular preference. The only time I have managed to catch one on the ground was when it landed on a plant right in front of me.

[jeeperman]

Bobo, I just added a couple I got the other day to my origonal thread for you. These are the Darners that I thought were close to yours. In the "went to shoot fireworks" thread.

[Bobobird]

Thanks, going over now.

Btw, Dragon posted.

[Bobobird]

ID confirmed - Green Darner.