Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Female
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,379 Major grins
I was heading for the garden shed when this dragonfly landed just ahead of me. It was the first (observed) dragonfly of the season in our garden and possibly a migrant for the European continent.
As had been the case for several days, the wind was incessant and gusting. Anyway, I fetched my camera, which had the Kiron 105mm attached.
The first perch was on a very thin and bendy annual plant. The wind blew the plant and insect all over the place but I got some shots. It then moved to another such plant and the same happened again. Finally, the dragon seems to have become as fed up as I was with this situation and she moved to a rigid twig.
We then had a long session, with both daylight and flash exposures and from very close to a couple of paces or so away. The dragon was at a good height for me to be able to kneel, getting much steadier framing and focus. Towards the end, the wings, which had been horizontal, were drooped down.
With most dragonflies, I am cautious about naming them, all the more so with Darters, but I think I am OK with this one.
In this set, I am posting the closest views, and some a little less close, which have mostly only been cropped on one side. These are all flash exposures, fortunately with some background colour showing.
In a subsequent post I will include framings out to environmental portraits, although my garden is not pukka habitat.
Harold
As had been the case for several days, the wind was incessant and gusting. Anyway, I fetched my camera, which had the Kiron 105mm attached.
The first perch was on a very thin and bendy annual plant. The wind blew the plant and insect all over the place but I got some shots. It then moved to another such plant and the same happened again. Finally, the dragon seems to have become as fed up as I was with this situation and she moved to a rigid twig.
We then had a long session, with both daylight and flash exposures and from very close to a couple of paces or so away. The dragon was at a good height for me to be able to kneel, getting much steadier framing and focus. Towards the end, the wings, which had been horizontal, were drooped down.
With most dragonflies, I am cautious about naming them, all the more so with Darters, but I think I am OK with this one.
In this set, I am posting the closest views, and some a little less close, which have mostly only been cropped on one side. These are all flash exposures, fortunately with some background colour showing.
In a subsequent post I will include framings out to environmental portraits, although my garden is not pukka habitat.
Harold
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Comments
Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks, Brian.
I must get down to the local riverside meadows.
Harold