Dragonflies - lots of images

[Drk Orange]

Hi folks, long time no post.

I was fortunate last week to come across a whole lotta dragonflies posing for me while I was at work. And even better still, they were there the next day when I went back with my camera!

All shots taken with Canon 100mm F2.0 with 25mm extension tube, and slightly cropped. Then reduced ( :( ) for web use. They look magnificent in full res.

Grab some popcorn and enjoy...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_01.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_02.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_03.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_04.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_05.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_06.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_07.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_08.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_09.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Dragonfly_10.jpg

BTW, the help file still says I can use the IMG command, but as you can see from the above, it don't work. :(

[eastcoast909]

not quite sure what your problem is.

As long as the url has the tags around it you should see the picture.

[Drk Orange]

not quite sure what your problem is.

As long as the url has the tags around it you should see the picture.

I've worked out what the problem is - read the sticky message at the top of the list. :)

[Maureen Souza]

Wowzers... those are amazing shots!!!

[Ragtime]

Those shots are fantastic!!:D
I wish we had insects like that here in the Chicago area:(

Great job!!

Bill

[psk4363]

Great shots - congratulations!

Barry

[mr.photoguy]

I love the Red one on the Green plant vine.

[Mills]

Those are special. What clarity. Never knew there were so many variations.

[TSEE]

Wow, those are COOL! Don't really like dragonflies in person but the pictures are just awesome.

[ssim]

Those are amazing shots with amazing DOF in some of them. How do you get them to stay still long enough to do that.

To be fair to our 56K users these are pretty large and will take them some time to load. The images aren't to exceed 800 on the longest side.

[nitsch]

Great shots of the Dragons! I love the red one, don't think I've ever seen one that colour before. Amazing.

[dphotomania]

Holy Moly!!! Great shots! Now you got to tell us where you work.

[IanWeatherburn]

Oh my word! What awesome photos!
How in Sam Hell did you get these? Very well done.

If you have a moment, check out my solitary dragonfly pics at:
http://mrstickman.deviantart.com/gallery
These were taken with a Canon EOS 20D using a Sigma 70-300 Macro.

Can you elaborate on the equipment that you used? What is an extension tube? Did you use flash? What f/stop (2.0?)

Thanks for the great pics and any responses.

[fstop]

Just astonishing, really. Congratulations on this series.

[Drk Orange]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I'm glad you lot like them as much as I did.

The location was nothing special, a small pumpstation next to a large pond. It's just that the chest-high bare branches of a small tree were popular spots for them to sit.

I was able to get real close by just walking slowly up to them - then the last bit to get within a couple of inches was just done steadily. When they got nervous and flew away, I'd take that opportunity to get a little closer - then they'd generally come back to roost on the same branch. It wasn't too hard, most of those shots were taken over a 30 minute period.

As for camera equipment used, the cam was a 300D with a 25mm extension tube. (Brand unkown, does it make a difference?) The f2.0 lens was used at f9 or f10 mostly, but the dragonflies were in a location where I could shoot them without any backbround. Or at least, no background that would be recognisable.

And my apologies to the 56k users, but while the images are large in resolution, I have taken care to compress them as much as possible. Most image sizes hover around the 90k mark, but some are as low as 40k and others 140k.

[Drk Orange]

Oh, and as for flash, I used the inbuilt one a couple of times although I think the first one is the only one of these where a flash was used.

The red dragonfly in image 08 is only about an inch long and this type are fairly flighty, so patience is required. That is a blade of grass it is clutching to in case you were wondering.

[dng]

Great shots those are really cool. I was just wondering did u need to use a tripod when using your extension tubes? Thanks

[Jetmech1]

Very nice shots. Enjoyed them.

[shawnee_rebel]

Sweet lens huh? But youve been doing your homework while gone I see.As everyone else said, strikingly AWESOME, FANTASTIC PICTURES"."Your next job, should you decide to accept it, is to find some "spiders" up close and personal. :)

[Airedale1]

Just amazing!

[RockOne]

These images are incredible. I must find the secret of keeping the little blighters still ! :-)

I've a CSIRO book on Australian dragonflies around here somewhere, and I'm almost certain these photos are detailed enough to enable them to be identified.

[Drk Orange]

Great shots those are really cool. I was just wondering did u need to use a tripod when using your extension tubes? Thanks

While it is recommended, I was fortunate that these were taken in full sunlight allowing me to close up to F9 or f10 and still have 1/100th of a second shutterspeed - enough to hand-hold the camera. And the positions I had to get into meant a tripod was out of the question.

Sweet lens huh?


Now that I have worked out how to use it. It doesn't like being opened up wide on my 300D, but it has other benefits. ;)

As everyone else said, strikingly AWESOME, FANTASTIC PICTURES".

Right place, right time, right equipment.

"Your next job, should you decide to accept it, is to find some "spiders" up close and personal.

Consider it done. I have to go away for a few days tomorrow, so if I don't get them up tonight they'll be next weekend. :)

[Drk Orange]

Did ssssomebody say ssssspiders???

http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Boot.jpg

(A quick setup-shot of a spider I caught this afternoon. Hopefully I can get her out into the sunlight tomorrow and get some decent shots)

PS. Did you know they wander around slowly until you try to put them back into their box, then they let you know that they can jump very well...

[picture-this]

I never seen a red one before?

[PhotosGuy]

Great stuff. I really like the angle on #4.

[marie]

Did ssssomebody say ssssspiders???

http://members.iinet.net.au/~miketz/sssf/Boot.jpg (http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Emiketz/sssf/Boot.jpg)

(A quick setup-shot of a spider I caught this afternoon. Hopefully I can get her out into the sunlight tomorrow and get some decent shots)

PS. Did you know they wander around slowly until you try to put them back into their box, then they let you know that they can jump very well...
:shock:

wow
what shots !
wonderful


at last I found your post Dk Orange
it was lost
after you mentioned for me to look (on the marie 10, 100 post )
I went looking

this morning I had to use a search by putting in spiders in the slot on the top of the page and up came this lot

love the spider on the boot shot also :shock:
love the boothttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif
great ad for the bootmakers
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif

those others are just extra marvellous shots

congratulations

:shock: