My friend the Blue Dasher

[Ken Childs]

Canon EOS REBEL XT
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Av mode
1/100"
F8
ISO: 200
CS3

Blue Dashers are the easiest species in my area to get close to so I have lots of close-ups of them.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Ken. I think this is a great close up. Super detail and I actually like the wing as part of the backdrop - at least that is what I think I am seeing. wonderful image.

[Julie Brown]

I really like this Ken! Great composition and detail in the head. I love the pattern and how you can see the hairs on the body. Is that a ripple in the BG.?

Good work here-almost looks like one of Vida's images!:)

[Ken Childs]

Thanks, Allen and Julie.

That is its wing in the BG. This dragon was perched in the classic wings down Dasher pose.

[Vida van der Walt]

Wonderful detail and colours in this Ken! A super image and I love the angle with the wing showing in the bg. A very minor point would be that the focus seems more on the furthest eye than the front one. I have also noticed that some species of DF are more skittish than others and the ones that have made me work the hardest so far are the red and scarlet coloured ones (not sure about the species names as I don't get an opportunity to study the wing vein patterns).:)

[Julie Kenward]

The diagonal angle of the df in the frame is perfect, Ken. That wing in the BG is also a huge plus. So crisp and detailed it practically jumps off the page at you. Lovely, wonderful portrait!

Now if we could just find a way to get them to perch on something that looks better than a dead tree stump!

[Mike Moats]

Hey Ken, nice job on this one, great details, colors, and good diagonal line on the body. I'm waiting for your other entries before I post image in the contest.

[Ken Childs]

Vida, Jules and Mike, thanks for the comments. :)

Vida, dragonfly eyes are notorious for looking OOF, even when they are in focus. This gave me fits when I first started shooting them but I soon realized that even if everything else in the same focal plane as the eyes was razor sharp, sometimes the eyes didn't look in focus. I'm not saying this shot is perfect, but it's probably more in focus than it appears to be.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Ken....Amazing image! I shoot these guys in my area with a 180 macro and have not been able to get this close. Do you have any tricks to share?

[Ken Childs]

Hi Ken....Amazing image! I shoot these guys in my area with a 180 macro and have not been able to get this close. Do you have any tricks to share?

Hi Bob,

Generally I find these laid back Blue Dashers when I'm not looking for them. I'll be working or relaxing in my yard and one shows up. I'll go take a close look at it and it if doesn't leave, I'll get the camera. I've even had them land on me when I'm floating in my swimming pool. I've had plenty of times when I've had to back up a bit because I got closer than the minimum focusing distance for my macro lens. Females and juvenile males seem to be the friendliest.