I'm not confident that I've identified the dragonfly correctly, and I certainly don't know what the other object is or what is going on between them. Any ideas will be appreciated.
I prepared this image on my laptop, so the colors may be off quite a bit (I'm on vacation). In addition, this is an HDR file.
The image was taken with a Canon 50D, 4oo mm f/5.6 lens @f/8: 1/200. 1/400. 1/800. Extension tubes - the exif data don't display that but I think I had 12mm and 24 mm tubes on.
I'd appreciate ID info as well as the usual aesthetic comments and suggestions.
Sure wish I could help with ID Kent ... no clue !!!
Haven't thought about HDR insects ... neat !! While you are at it might go under even more for the first exp for toning down the remaining highlight. Colors look realistic might only increase the mid tones.
I think the perch in itself would make a good image and combined with the Dfly makes a lot to be looking at !! I like it a lot !!
Hi Kent, nice DF! The other thing looks like a moulting skin, possbily from the DF itself. Dragonfly larvae live under water as fierce predators. They float around and eat about anything that passes and fits their mouth, including small fish. When it's time to moult, they climb out, usually on plants with parts above the water. They break open their skin at the top and crawl out, pump up their wings, dry out and off they go!
Small comment on your composition: in my experience, sideview DF photos work best when you get the DF at a 90 degree angle. I'm also a bit distracted by the bright blue in the BG, might watch the BG next time!
Kind regards,
Thanks, Alfred and Jerry. I do have images from different angles, but this ione seemed best for ID'ing the fragonfly and the other "thing". I did wonder if the other thing was a moult, but I just wasn't sure.
I really think it is a moult - look closely and you can almost line up the legs and other body parts to the skin. I agree that it's a nice HDR attempt but I also find the blue a bit overpowering. Great idea to try HDR on insects and hope you keep trying - it will be interesting to see it progress!
Looking through my field guides for North America, it doesn't really look like a Common Baskettail. The eyes don't seem to have that colour or pattern. It is likely that the dragonfly is freshly emerged (teneral) from the exuviae in front of it judging by the sheen of the wings. The exuviae doesn't quite look like the ones illustrated for Baskettails in one of my references. A freshly emerged dragonfly can change colour quite drastically as it matures. Other angles might shed more light on the identification. Where was the picture taken? That might help narrow it down a bit as I was looking mainly in my references for the north east.
I really like the picture. Mike is right though about the blue streak as it looks unnatural, perhaps a manmade object out of focus??
Photo was taken in NE Illinois at Chicago Botanic Garden. The most common DFs I see there are Blue Dashers. This DF looked very different in terms of colors from those but was about the same size.
I can see I've gotta get some more reference materials.
And Hi Jules and Mike --
I agree that the blue should be gone. Thanks so much for the suggestions.
This is another view of the same DF, this time edited on my calibrated display. I'm wondering about the structure on the right of the lotus bud: that looks to my completely uninformed eye as a moult for this dragonfly.
Canon 50D
Canon 400 mm f/5.6 lens at f/8
Extension tubes (probably 12 mm and 20 mm)
1/500 sec ISO 400
Av Evaluative
Exp Comp -2
AI Servo
Daylight WB
No flash
Tripod and cable release
Post in PS CS4 with Viveza
Sharpened and cloned some BG color
Last edited by Kent Wilson; 08-22-2009 at 04:06 PM.
Reason: incomplete information
Looks like bird doo hanging off the right side of the lotus bud. The moult is directly in front of the dragonfly. Still not sure of the ID but the eye colour now looks more realistic in the colour managed version.
There are some good resources for Illinois. You might want to check with the people that run the Chicago Dragonfly Monitoring Network or your state museum on what the best resources are for your area. A couple of other nice sites are Butterflies and Dragonflies of Illinois and the USGS species list. Paulson's new Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West is excellent. I find local guides very helpful as they are more focused and eliminate lots of improbables.
Thanks, Bob, for the references. I'll check them out. The helpful responses one gets from the folks on this site are awesome. Wish I were knowledgeable enough to repay everyone.
I'm so glad that someone else has discovered that HDR isn't only for landscapes! The blue spot doesn't bother me; in fact if makes the photo for me because the orangy-red of the eyes contrasts better with the blue than it would with a green or yellow background. What DOES bother me is the upper right-hand corner. Personally, I'd crop a little off the top.
Common Baskettail and what?
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