For Ken and Allen

[Roman Kurywczak]

I found this one while working through images on my HD. I spent last summer chasing DF too.......working on in flight ones this year. I was using my 100-400 and tubes.....but changed to the 180mm for this image. Canon 1D Mark llll with the Sigma 180mm macro at f32 for 1/60 sec and ISO 1250 and the MT 24 twin lights at -2/3 HH.....camera resting on ground, almost FF and Noise Ninja used on BG.

[Ken Childs]

I'm really liking the thumbnails in this new forum software. :)

Very nice shot of the most accommodating dfly for macro shots, the Blue Dasher. Exposure, comp and focus all look great.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Lovely colours, sharp eyes. Beautiful composition with the wings placed down.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nice image indeed, I like the composition and the head on view, the fact it is not really dead head on as it were adds to the composition. I know this is perhaps a contentious issue but I tend to avoid very small apertures because the gain in DOF is minmal and the loss of detail does begin to show. I would not however say this had a lack of detail, I think it is a superb shot - with equally good DOF, and at such a high ISO it is outstanding. I suppose it just goes to show we can have our preconceptions and then an image comes along and makes you begin to reconsider. I would perhaps consider just a little more sharpening - but maybe at this ISO maybe not such a good idea (??)- I am afraid this is a little out of my territory so any further comments will be read with avid interest.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Thanks all! Jonathan brings up an interesting point with max DOF that has been floating around now for a long time.....the lens isn't sharp at it's max DOF. I won't even go into my stuff in landscapes......as that is my upbringing/first love....I give you Mike Moats and his natural light images! Proof that those theories are untrue! A very good portion are his images are at f32 or close!

I have realized over the painful film years.....that in many cases this philosophy was true.....but with digital a lot of that has changed!
My newest recomendations for macro are to shoot with as much DOF as you dare!!! Yes technique and subconscious angle decisions do come into play.....but they improved by leaps and bound with digital!!! I no longer have to wait 2 weeks to get my slides back.....or even late in the day and write everything down.....instant feedback has improved my macro tenfold!!!! I won't recommend ISO 1250 on many cameras......Mark lll and lV in the Canon lineup and the D3 and perhaps the D300 in Nikon.....the easiest way to learn flash and macro....is to push your camera to the limit.....disregard everything you have heard/read previously!!!!.....to much mis-information/bias. Digital has opened up the wild west in photography once again!.....pushing yourself and the equipment is the best way to watch your photography grow!!!.....think about it....much of the cost of shooting has now disaappeared!
Failure is only failure if you don't learn from it!!! That's my philosophy....and I'm sticking to it!

[Julie Kenward]

Roman's right! Read what you want but you need to know your own equipment - what it will and won't do - in order to take the best images possible.

Roman, the angle here makes the image for me. I feel like I'm in his world at his level. Excellent!!!

[Ken Childs]

I think it helped me a lot to not have a clue what I was doing when I got my first DSLR. I figured out what worked with my equipment by doing a lot of experimenting and reading the exif on successful shots. After doing that for awhile, I then went on to get suggestions from others. Now I have the great folks at BPN to help me try to get to the next level. :)

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Roman, wonderful image! I really like the composition, it almost looks like you instructed the dragonfly how to pose..... Great DOF and details. I'm not too fond of the "flashy" look. I might consider toning down the front of the DF and the perch to balance it more with the tail.

[Bob Miller]

Hey Roman...i am shooting df again this summer and after seeing your superb image above i am going to take your advice to heart....Would love to see what you do with in flight df...hope you will share what you learn:)

[Jackie Schuknecht]

VWD Roman. Even the crop looks good:) Really good DOF coverage.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Roman, sorry I am late to this. wonderful in your face shot. love the head on view. Like Ken I started learning photography with a digital SLR so do not have to unlearn very much. Thanks for sharing this great image.

[Anita Bower]

I like looking right into these marvelous eyes. Lovely sharp wings against great BG. The stem it is perched on stands out too much for me. It is so in focus and up front that it distracts me.