Landing gear deployed, ready for landing

[Loupey]

Just like some dragonfly species are easier to photograph in flight than others, some dragonfly species land more deliberately than others.

This medium sized specimen unfurls its rather long legs a moment earlier than the larger, faster ones (which, ironically, are easier to photograph in flight than this one) just before landing.


Shot with the 40D and 500mm (no tubes) near the closest focusing distance at 1/1500s.

[AgingEyes]

Would they be too centered?

[slayer7124]

Excellent capture! As always

[scott-devon]

Beautiful shot Loupey.

[Loupey]

Thanks for looking, guys!

AE - could be

[mn shutterbug]

Loupey, who can resist looking at your unique shots. :thumbsup:

[Lori11]

That's unreal....awesome :thumbsup:

[Loupey]

mn shutterbug & Lori - thanks for the comments! Sorry about the late reply (been (non-photographically) busy)

[Loupey]

Well I haven't been able to shoot a thing for a while so I'll post two images that I took last week (I think). Different species compared to the one in the original shot; but the same dragonfly here - just on two different approaches.

I think it was a day after I shot the original shot. Yes that is the exact same reed. Apparently, of all the cattails and half-submerged reeds in all the ponds in my area, there is exactly 1 reed in exactly the right place (actually true)


500mm, handheld - exif data included.

[slayer7124]

Such good and clear shots. Do you shoot RAW?

[Loupey]

Do you shoot RAW?

Yes, always. And I don't let my cameras do anything else (no sharpening, no saturation, no contrast adjustment, etc.). Better to have an extremely dumb camera but a pure unadulterated image so that no irreversible step has been introduced.

The downside is that every image looks just horrendous SOOC. And trying to remember exactly what the light intensity and color cast of the moment is always tough to nail unless I PP the images right away (I always try to finish within a day).


Thanks for looking, slayer!

[Copy_Kot]

Great shot's as usual Loupey, I've been trying all summer to get ONE in flight.

[victorhuang20]

SOOC? whats that. Oh man, it's been awhile since ive been on forums....As always, amazing pics loupey

[Loupey]

Copy_Kot - thanks for looking. I know you can do it.

Victor - hey stranger SOOC = straight out of camera. Thanks for commenting. Did you get your 5D yet?

[victorhuang20]

nope not yet. I decided to get the 40d first because although the 5d is a great camera and it's full frame. I rather wait for the updated one to come out, because it will probably have that awesome sensor cleaning feature...which i love on my xti. So it looks like its going to be the 40d first then the fast glass and in between maybe the updated 5d. haha. I've been practicing full manual lately so i've been getting a tad better at it...but not much...haha