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View Full Version : Common darter in hover



Jonathan Ashton
09-04-2015, 02:00 AM
Hand held Canon 1DX Canon 180mm macro & 1.4TC III ISO 800 1/250 sec f16 Ring Flash 1:1. This dragonfly was taking short sorties and then coming back to a stone to warm up so I simply waited by the stone and oriented myself to give a clear background.

Ron Conlon
09-04-2015, 02:55 PM
A fresh approach, which is great to see. I internally debated the kilter on this one and don't know which to ask to be level, the wings, legs, thorax or head--which all seem to be rotated differently. Interesting that they should be that way, if I remember I will ask the local expert on insect flight what's going on here. An extremely challeging shot, and I think you did well. Unless you had a multiple flash setup I doubt you could freeze the wings. Very cool stuff, and very nice to see the envelope pushed.

MiroslavMaric
09-05-2015, 01:33 AM
Hi Jonathan,

Like the extended legs and details of the head. For my eye the blur of wings works well in this capture because it points out the movement of landing. Despite the title for me it doesn't look like hovering. Agree with Ron, this is a fresh approach, I don't remember I have ever seen landing pose of dragonfly. I would like to see a bit more light tone of the BG. TFS.

Cheers,
Miro

Jonathan Ashton
09-05-2015, 06:04 AM
It was taken just at the point of touchdown, it had been hovering, deciding if to land or not with a lens and flash pointing at it! The leg on the right of the image had just made contact.

Nancy Bell
09-05-2015, 10:46 AM
Fabulous!! Love the head on view, legs outstretched and the blurred wings. Makes me feel I'm directly in the landing zone! I suspect you took a fair amount of images until you got this :S3:. In reference to what should be horizontal, for me it would be the head. If the wings were horizontal the head would look curiously tilted. Lovely light on the head which also produces that glowing motion look to the wings. Really amazing! Just an afterthought, how about more space below the dragonfly (if possible) and less above, to create the feeling of incoming and setting down?