Broad bodied chaser

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod
Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) 10.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 320
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Servo AF
Tracking sensitivity -2
AF area select mode AF Point expansion
AF Microadjustment -2
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3

Although I seem to get better results with ACR I processed this one with DPP. This is another shot from my garden pond taken this summer. I deliberately left the surrounding plants in I wanted to convey a little of the environment. The stems on the left were out of focus, the one on the right was in focus so I blurred it using iris blur in CS6.
All comments welcome.

[Diane Miller]

Absolutely stunning!!

It's really nitpicking, but I think it would be interesting to compare a version without the stem on the right. The dragonfly is leaning subtly to the left, toward the lovely OOF stems there, and that stem is leaning subtly to the right, creating some tension. It was a good idea to blur it and it looks very well done -- I wouldn't have guessed it was blurred after the fact.

On the other hand, it does act as a frame, so maybe it's better as is.

[Mitch Haimov]

I like this one a lot. The shine on the wings adds a lot of interest, entire subject nicely sharp. I also like the three stalks that are similar to the perch very much, but could live without the grass (?) stem (which seems a bit busy). Blurred BG with texture works very well.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, this really pops. The angle is spot on showing the full detail of the wings. Great DOF, and I like how we can see how he is holding onto the stem. Well captured.

[Nancy Bell]

This is superb! Love those lines created by the shine on the wings echoing the shape of the wings and the flow of the inner veins. It adds visual motion to the perched dragonfly. Great contrast of sharpness of the subject and perch with the softly blurred bkgd with the same vertical vegetation. I like the repeating element of the dark bands on the shoots throughout the image.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jon. Love the shine on those new wings! Also very nice light, sharpness, and DOF. The blurred stem on the right looks totally natural. I like the included habitat, but I'm with Mitch - I'd like it even better without the grass stem on the left as the gray areas are drawing my eye away from your very cool subject. :S3: Excellent work!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thank you very much everyone for your comments.