Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)(Teneral)

[Jonathan Ashton]

This was taken during a phase when I was messing about with different flash settings, if I use flash now it would be more like -1.66EV. The shot would have been handheld, as the habitat did not lend itself to tripod legs.
All comments welcome.
Camera Model Canon EOS 20D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/200
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0
Metering Mode Center-Weighted Average Metering
Exposure Compensation -1/3
ISO Speed 200
Lens 180.0mm
Flash On
Flash Type External E-TTL
Flash Exposure Comp -1
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
AF Mode One-Shot AF

[Markus Jais]

Great detail and sharpness. Wonderful background. I like the diagonal line. I only wish for a bit more room on the left but the image is fantastic as it is.

Markus

[Julie Kenward]

I'm totally with Markus on this one...it doesn't get much better than this for a clear, detailed df image. I just wish the flower would have had a bit more room and presence in the image. Also, not sure if the blues on the df's body are as bright as they should be (?) but if not, you might try bumping the sat/contrast a bit there.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Markus & Julie, I see where you are coming from but I cropped as is because the seed heads became very "complicated/busy" and detracted from the damsel. The colours are muted because it is the teneral phase, (I have boosted the contrast and "popped" a little already).:)

[Charles Wesley]

Jonathan,

Nice clean capture on this DF. What 180 mm. lens are you using to get this sharpness?
Thanks for sharing...
_____________________
Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

EOS - 1D, 5D Mk 11, Sekonic L- 358 incident/ flash meter, Sigma 15- 30 mm EX Aspherical DG DF f/3.5- 4.5, Canon EF 28- 135 mm.f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 70 -200 mm.L f/4, Sigma 180 mm. HSM f/3.5 EX DG APO Macro IF AF, Canon EF 100- 400 mm. F/4.5- 5.6 L IS, Canon EF 500 mm. f/4 L IS, 1.4 TC, 12 & 25 mm. Ext. tubes, Better Beamer, Canon 550 EX flash, Bogen 3221 tripod and Bogen tripod with Wimberly mount.<O:p</O:p

[Ken Childs]

Jonathan, I'm really loving your Damsel shots. I agree that this needs more space on the left but I'm not really one to talk. I always have a hard time deciding how to crop my Damsel shots because the subject is so long, thin and straight. It can be hard to make them fit nicely into a ROT situation.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Jonathan,

Nice clean capture on this DF. What 180 mm. lens are you using to get this sharpness?
Thanks for sharing...
_____________________
Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

EOS - 1D, 5D Mk 11, Sekonic L- 358 incident/ flash meter, Sigma 15- 30 mm EX Aspherical DG DF f/3.5- 4.5, Canon EF 28- 135 mm.f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 70 -200 mm.L f/4, Sigma 180 mm. HSM f/3.5 EX DG APO Macro IF AF, Canon EF 100- 400 mm. F/4.5- 5.6 L IS, Canon EF 500 mm. f/4 L IS, 1.4 TC, 12 & 25 mm. Ext. tubes, Better Beamer, Canon 550 EX flash, Bogen 3221 tripod and Bogen tripod with Wimberly mount.<o>:p</o>:p

Charles I use a Canon 180mm ans sometimes the Canon 100mm, I have also evaluated sigma 150 & sigma 180 - nothing really much to choose in relation to image quality, I can discuss further with you if you wish.

[Mike Moats]

Read Markus post, as it was exactly what I was going to say, thanks Markus.:D

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Agree with Markus re; more room. Otherwise a mighty awesome shot. Great diagonal!