Dragonfly

on a flyscreen.

Dragonflies are really sleepy first thing in the morning.

View all photos taken: Wednesday, 13th May 2009, This photo: 7:01am

Previous Photo: Tree Star-trails

Comments

  • jaclyn_teh2000 said:
    Interesting capture..friend..
  • mitchell burns said:
    lol, nice one there pretty ugly up close :)
  • David de Groot said:
    They're pretty fascinating up close.
    Yeah they are a bit ;-)
  • accesser said:
    Nice macro, Our chickens would like a bit of that
  • David de Groot said:
    hehehe I dare say so. Although mine tend to be more into fruit than dragonflies.
  • accesser said:
    Is macro any different of a full frame all I know is you cant use the APS-C macro lens of full frame not aware of any advantages or disadvantages with the full frame sensor for that style of photography
  • looby88 said:
    sleepy first thing, till the sun warms them up, but always ugly ! I always like to see them though, except when they catch butterflies !
  • David de Groot said:
    You get a wider field of view at the same focal length. This can be good, or bad, depending on what you're shooting. I cropped off the right hand side in this one as it wasn't useful.
  • David de Groot said:
    You know, I've never seen them catch butterflies, but then I don't spend a huge amount of time watching them either. This one had a very boring browny coloured tail, unlike the more interesting blue, red and green ones I usually see, still can't complain as this is the closest I've been to one with a camera (they usually fly off). As it was I had to stand on a ladder to take it.
  • Out_and_About said:
    I've got visions of you now, on a ladder, being ever so careful not to fall but to get close to get this shot.
    Nice photo - I like dragonflies - and damselflies for that matter - interesting eyes and wings.
  • Margot- said:
    Nice macro! I didn't know that about dragon fly -- being sleepy in the morning.
    What do you mean they catch butterflies? They eat butterflies?!
  • Debbie from Brisbane said:
    That's an amazing Macro Dave. Nicely done!
  • looby88 said:
    I too have a view of Dave wobbling up a ladder, this dragonfly obviously doesnt have a sense of humour- or it would have flown away at the opportune moment, sniggering to itself...
    Margot, they are beasties, they have voracious appetites under the water.. and once airborne. yes they do eat butterflies- but not the wings, they obviously get stuck in their throats ! Not nice
  • Cobra_11 said:
    Great shot! Its eyes are like from a Disney cartoon :-) Perfect work!
  • David de Groot said:
    Yeah pretty much, and being early in the morning, I too was sleepy ;-)
    I teetered on the ladder for a while trying to get a head-on shot, but it wasn't working so well.
    Well I presume that's why this one let me get that close and not fly off...
    Thanks Debbie :)
    Oh but they don't eat only butterflies. I think their appetite extends to pretty much any insect and arachnid that's smaller than it.
    Thanks :)
  • Richard.Fisher said:
    Wow, this is great David.
  • looby88 said:
    ....... they eat spiders ! I like them a whole lot more !!!!
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Richard :)
    Yep, they do indeed!
  • s.westhead (Simon) said:
    Wow David what are you feeding those things out there. That thing looks massive.
  • David de Groot said:
    Oh you know, the usual, moths, wasps, spiders, small children... ;-)
  • doberwoman said:
    magnifique !!!
  • s.westhead (Simon) said:
    Can i send a few of mine over (kids i mean)
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks :)
    Yours might be too large for dragonflies now... mine are, that's for sure. ;-)
  • Jack High said:
    Now that is really close up. The detail is great and I like being able to see where the wings join the body. I think the mesh background gives an interesting contrast.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Jack. I think I personally would have preferred a more natural setting, but can't have everything.
  • Mitch Lahey said:
    One word; Wow!
    The DOF is amazing, the detail is amazing, just the whole capture amazes me and how you got so close to it. Great work Dave
  • David de Groot said:
    I was impressed he didn't fly away too. Must have been pretty zonked out from a hard night's hunting...
  • Andrew Hing said:
    That is a very cool shot David
  • Mitch Lahey said:
    Most likely had a hangover from a night out hunting with the boys
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Andrew :)