Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod Mongoose head
Camera Model Canon EOS 50D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/160
Av( Aperture Value ) 11.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM +1.4x
Focal Length 252.0mm
AF Mode AI Servo AF

Another shot from the garden pond, they were a little skittish so I put the TC on the lens, it was difficult to get them ideally positioned in relation to the camera back, close but no cigar!! I have been using the polariser on some moths I will be posting but I will try it on the damsels too. The trouble with the polariser is that I cannot use the lens hood but if the sun is behind me it is ok.
All C & c welcome.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Jonathan, nice behavioral shot. Nice subject sharpness maybe except for the male's eyes - might try a little more sharpening there. I know how tough it is to get fully lined up for tandem shots like this. The BG is great. Other nit is toning down the leaf right below the damselflies. But still this is a very nice behavioral shot as I said - your pond is really producing for you.

Allen

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Allen, I did give the male an extra round, trouble is when something is out of focus you just cannot make it in focus by more sharpening, it looks false.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, I promised I would pop in here. I like the wavy edge of the leaf, with both DF's positioned in each recess. You have captured the behaviour nicely, and good to see the different colours of male and female.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jon. Excellent job of capturing this behavior and getting both damselflies within your DOF. I would wish for just a bit of space between the male's head and the leaf edge and I'm still seeing a few sensor dust spots in the OOF background, but overall, this is very nicely done!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the comments everyone much appreciated, here is a slightly sharper and hopefully cleaner one, i.e. the one I should have posted in the first place, sorry Steve the head is still not optimally positioned, when it was it was not in focus. I am not sure if that is a little sperm packet or just a bit of detritus??

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jon,
Great behaviour and repost loks sharper. Like Steve, I wish for a touch more seperation on the face up front.....but still a wonderful capture!

[Ken Childs]

Hi Jon, this has been covered well but I wanted to say that it is a wonderful behavioral capture....it may not be perfect but it has a lot going for it!