Broad bodied chaser

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod, mongoose head MLU cable release
ISO 100, 0.5 sec, f16

All comments welcome.

[John Storjohann]

Superb! I love this...fantastic detail, beautiful lighting..lens? 100mm macro? Longer? No flash? Camera body? Time of day? Sorry...:w3...this has been the type of image I've had in mind for some time...would love to pick your brain!

[Bob Miller]

Jon....You continue to amaze me with your dragonfly shots. I went out last saturday around noon....being inspired by your posts....and was less than successful. The dragonflies at the edge of the lake were mostly too far away to get any good shots and the few that were 3ft away rarely landed. They just kept zoominng around. Maybe if i went out early morning they would be less active??????. After an hour I went home with 120 shots of which I kept about 5. Any advise?

[thijs broekkamp]

lovely soft image, just perfect!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hi sorry for the incomplete data, I used the 50D and Canon 180mm macro lens with a polariser, no flash on this one.
Regards technique, currently most of my posted images are taken by my garden pond, I try to go out early in the morning or later in the afternoon or evening, then it is more likely to be cooler and the dragonflies are less active. I try to find a newly emerged dragonfly and I coax it onto a suitable stem if it is not already on one. I then place this stem on a small tripod, it is held in place with a small clip called a Novoflex Klammer - there is one called "flower stalk" which is probably better. This enables me to situate it in front of an unobtrusive background. Out in the field this is not always possible.
Unless there is a very good reason not to I always use a tripod and ideally use mirror lock up and a cable release. I use the Mongoose head and find it very flexible as I also use it on the 100-400 and the 500mm f4.
When conditions are optimal I have the camera on tripod and the subject ideally located in situ or on a small tripod, them lighting/wind permitting I take images at ISO 100 at f8,11,16 and 22, then I repeat at ISO 200, and 400 even 800. If I have been on the ball I also repeat the process using fill in flash at -1.66EV, I usually use AF servo and it doesn't really matter if I use high speed drive or not if I use mirror lock up. If there is an intermittent breeze I always use Servo AF and high speed drive, the idea being that hopefully I would at some point get at least one sharp image.
I have tried to use Live View in the past but I only find this useful if I can get a decent view!! - Usually I find ambient lighting too bright. I use the flash as a belt and braces approach, sometimes it improves sometimes not. Occasionally I use a right angle finder if the subject is down low - this is easier on my old back!.
When I get indoors I use Adobe Bridge to filter the images, I look at the ISO 100 first and if there are good ones there I use them, if not I then check the higher ISO images. I now process from RAW using Canon DPP, the reason being that DPP is made for Canon and it provides potentially cleaner images. In DPP I use the Chrominance NR and Sharpening prior to launch in Photoshop. Hope this helps if there are any questions I will be happy to reply. I have written a couple of articles on macro work I will be pleased to share them - if so email me jonathanmashton@gmail.com

[Allen Sparks]

Beautiful image Jonathan and thanks for all the info. I may have to try your techniques when the odes are less active. I have a hard time finding them in early morning thus the beauty of having your own garden pond I suppose. Again, wonderful image - great sharpness, light, and detail.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jonathan. Another terrific, but quite different, image of this dragonfly! All the water drops are a big plus and like before, you have good sharpness, comp, and background. Thanks for including all the detail about your methods - many folks will find that very helpful! :S3:

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thank you everyone for your C & C as ever it is really appreciated.

[Bob Miller]

Jon..Just wanted to say thanks for your info on techniques. i am going to make a copy and study it before I go out nesxt time.....Thanks again!