X Wing Fighter

[Mike Fuhr]

I was sitting on a sand bar in the AR River recently and was overwhelmed by the lack of any birds to photograph. I finally noticed that one or more of these wandering glider dragonflies was regularly flying over the scour pool right in from of me. After an hour of manual focus, some patience, and much frustration, I finally got the hang of shooting these guys while in flight. I ended up with about 6 keepers. This one is maybe my favorite because of the slight angle toward me, the blurred tips of the wings, and the sharp body. Notice how one pair of legs folds up right behind the head. Nature is pretty amazing!!

Nikon D300
100-300 F/4 w 1.4TC
1/1250
F/8 (-.67)
ISO 400

[Bill Jobes]

That is one ultra-cool looking dragonfly, Mike.

Congratulations on getting the shot; I know how tough these tiny fliers can be to snag with a sensor ! :w3

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Mike.

This is a cool looking dragonfly and I can appreciate your frustration in trying to capture this image. The "X" of the wings and the slight angle of the body towards us make the image for me. Well done!