Bluet

[Nancy Bell]

My very first damselfly photography attempt! OMGosh, it was so much fun! I believe this is a Bluet. What an amazing blue color! I found a small swarm while having a picnic at a high-altitude lake in Colorado. I know the granite rock is a very busy bkgd, but this is where they were landing and I just didn't want to give up on my first opportunity. As a result of reading the posts, I added an extension tube to my 70-200 lens so I could get close enough to get the detail I wanted. I now have an entirely new respect for those of you who photograph dragonflies and damselflies...it is a real challenge! I need to look for more places to find these critters. BTW, several people at the picnic grounds came over to see just what I was doing laying on the ground and pointing the camera at a rock!

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS lens, extension tube, 1/1600, f8, ISO 400

C & C most appreciated. Also, I'm not sure what is the best crop for this image.

[Jonathan Ashton]

That's it Nancy - you've got the bug - pun intended! No stopping you now, you did really well good focus and DOF, the background is OK, ideally on a blade or stem of grass - next challenge!!
This looks very similar to what we call the Common blue damselfly, Enallagma annexum is yours, ours is Enallagma cyathigerum.
Good hunting let's see some more!

[Mitch Haimov]

Excellent sharpness and subject! Well positioned in frame. Congrats on a successful first attempt! Agree a stem or similar would make a preferable perch-- those beautiful wireframe wings show up more clearly against a distant OOF BG. But you gotta make your images where you find them.

[Nancy Bell]

Thanks Jonathon & Mitch. Semi-arid Colorado is not a hot-bed of odonata, I will have to look for some irrigation ditches with vegetation or maybe a farm pond that has not dried up.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Nancy, Congrats on this fine photo as I know from experience how tough it is to get all of a damselfly in good focus. I like the crop as is given the perch. Well done first attempt. - Allen

[christopher galeski]

nice one Nancy,dont mind the rock as a perch,makes a change.

[Nancy Bell]

Thank you Allen & Christopher!