Blue Dasher Dragonfly

[Diane Miller]

They're out in force here now, with warm spring weather -- warm here being 80 degrees. (Cold is 50 degrees...) Canon 300mm f/2.8 IS + 2X, to get half the close focus of the 600. ISO 400, f/14, 1/125. Big Gitzo with Wimberley II head. Cropped to 47% of the original frame.

I had shot the previous day with the 100-400 but had trouble getting close enough to one. But that should prove a great lens if they perch close enough to the bank.

I was shooting handheld for a while, at ISO 800, 1/1000 at f/10, but not sure how sharp they would be, so went to the tripod when I saw this one perching repeatedly on this reed. (Of course I frightened it slithering away to set up the tripod and had to wait half an hour for it to return. After wrestling the tripod into a good position on the bank I discovered I was sitting on a thistle but didn't dare move. It eventually wilted.

With the tripod I could shoot several different focus points to try to get both wings in focus. Not so easy because the dragonfly twitched a lot, but this one worked well enough to composite in a different focus on the back wing. Minimum adjustments in LR5 and into PS just for the composite, hand masked.

Turns out the handheld ones were amazingly sharp, with the detail in the compound eyes clearly visible at 100%. But not so easy to tweak a second focus point.

[John Robinson]

Clever stuff Dianne. I,ve it works if you try long enough !!!
Good shot . The body looks like it could do with a bit of ("oooph) on my gear. maybe not. Bit of burning m ight bring out the veins and thorax marks a bit more.
Gheers
John

[Diane Miller]

Yeah -- soon as I "went public" with it, it looked a little washed out. Amazing how inaccurate our perceptions can be -- well, mine anyway. I always get a laugh when someone insists, "But that's exactly the way it was!!"

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Diane,

Nice sharpness wing tips to tail. The composite work did very well. Great BG and I like the diagonal of the perch. Very nice image.

This looks like an immature male turning into adult coloration which may account some for a washed out look. Males look more like the females when they first emerge.

Allen

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely shot Diane, the composite works well. You have wonderful details in the veination of the wings, make the most of it because the sun is usually at the wrong angle!
Don't forget the 1.4TC 111 will work well with the 100-400 Mk11 that will increase magnification.
I won't ask why the thistle wilted:Whoa!:

[Diane Miller]

The thistle: :w3

I've used the 1.4 III with perched and relatively tame songbirds with some success, but was frustrated by the center point only focus when I wanted focus on the head. But that sounds like it will be less of a limitation for dragonflies -- thanks for the reminder -- I'll try it.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Diane. Very nice job of getting both sets of wings (and everything else) sharp! Also good pose, comp, and background. I was going to mention that the dragonfly looked just a bit overexposed (i.e., washed out), but I'll defer to Allen's comments above. :S3:

[Jonathan Ashton]

Diane, I almost always use servo AF that way it is quick to use the AF rear button to either start or stop focus depending upon your preference. (I suppose it is just as simple to use the single shot mode and recompose).

[Norm Dulak]

Nice shot, Diane. Perch, composition, background, wing position, and sharpness are all very good.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, everyone! When I'm doing an impromptu focus stack on these guys, I have to move fast as they twitch a lot. I lock the tripod and focus on the thorax with back button focus (AI Servo is always on), shoot one, then try to stay off the back button and quickly move the focus ring just eyeballing sharpness in the viewfinder to try to catch the wings and tail.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks, everyone! When I'm doing an impromptu focus stack on these guys, I have to move fast as they twitch a lot. I lock the tripod and focus on the thorax with back button focus (AI Servo is always on), shoot one, then try to stay off the back button and quickly move the focus ring just eyeballing sharpness in the viewfinder to try to catch the wings and tail.
It seems to work despite the change in magnification. I suppose the difference is marginal with small distances.