Coupled Common blue damselfly detail

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod mongoose head
Camera Model Canon EOS 50D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/13
Av( Aperture Value ) 14.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 800
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM & polarising filter
Image Quality RAW
Flash On
Flash Type External E-TTL
E-TTL II flash metering Evaluative flash metering
Flash Exposure Compensation -1 2/3
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
White Balance Mode Daylight
AF Mode One-Shot AF
Color Space Adobe RGB

This is more or less 1:1 magnification showing how the male clasps the female just behind the head. He's a real gent, he flew about with here like this to prevent other males mating with her. As they flew around the pond she would oviposit, move on oviposit, have a rest. It was at this point I seized my opportunity. I have been watching the damsels for quite some time now and I note that similar to dragonflies they have favoured perches around the pond. I often wait there camera the set up in order to get the shot whilst making as little movement as possible. I think the female has a single mite under the thorax region.
All C & C welcome.

[PhilCook]

Now that's getting up close and personal, good seeing this behavior up close like this, but feel a bit perverted hehehehe. Fine detail is extra good including as you say may be a mite. The break in the stem on the right shows how sharp this image is, bit I think crop it out as I find it a little distracting

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jonathan. This is a very nice behavioral shot and I love all the fine detail you have captured on the head of the female and on the plant stem. Nice use of the flash - you might consider cloning some of the flash-generated specular highlights, but as they are small, it's a minor point. You might also consider Phil's point about cropping from the right - and perhaps also a crop from the left just to remove the two whitish spots on the stem - again, a minor point. This is very well done!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks guys - much appreciated.