Dragonfly Summer III
Jun, 2023Views
799
Likes
Awards
Winner in peoples choice Photo Challenge
Contender in the Photography Awards
Summer Views Award
Contender in the Visual Poetry Project
People's Choice in The June 2023 Collection Photo Challenge
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Top 20 rankTop 30 rank week 1
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Pjerry
July 10, 2023
Congratulations on your peoples choice win (June 2023 Collection) with this extreme beautiful and very very well performed capture.
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kennyhimes
July 10, 2023
Thanks so much! Honored to win! Some really amazing photos in this competition!
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Behind The Lens
Location
We have a large patio with pergola next to a small pond with a fountain. This Dragonfly loves flying through the fountain spray and then rests on the Hosta stalks/blooms in between flights.Time
This is one of my all-time favorite images. Taken around the noon hour, the pergola provided just enough indirect shade that I was able to focus on the subject and yet still have a splash of sunshine reflected off of a large patio chair in the background.Lighting
The white Aderondak chair next to the fountain provided a perfect backdrop with just a hint of sunlight. The pergola celiling is comprised of lattice which makes for some interesting patterns of light reflection. There are highlights on the chair and just two small spots on the forehead of the dragonfly.Equipment
Because we live on a lake there is always a chance for some sort of nature shot. I keep my point and shoot Lumix by the back door to the patio so it was handy. I use this camera for a lot of my river photography as it fits neatly into my flyfishing vest in a waterproof pouch. The Panasonic LUMIX DC-ZS70 comes with Leica glass and a sharp 30x optical zoom and is 24-720mm equivalent, at f/3.3-6.4. It is my favorite for day to day use as my Nikon equipment is used more for formal shoots and planned trips.Inspiration
I tried all last year to get some decent shots of some of our dragonflies. They seemed to be constantly in motion. I was just "almost good" on all of them. Nothing I'd share here. This year we placed some Hosta right by the fountain and my patio has been a gathering place for them. I was determined to get some macro shots that were worth sharing. I was thrilled with four to five of them with this one being my favorite.Editing
All I really did was crop the shot. I was thrilled with the clarity and quality of the original.In my camera bag
My Lumix is always with me. My Nikon D7500 has been in my bag of late along with an assortment of Nikkor AF-S lenses.Feedback
If your goal is to capture dragonflies or butterflies closer to home, be sure to plant the flowers and shrubs that are most likely to attract them. Dragonflies, when they feel threatened or anxious, will not land for long. Giving them something to perch on will increase the odds you will have time to zoom in and get something suitable for framing. Just keep trying! It would have been easy for me to give up after all the bad shots I took last summer. With the right veggitation, lighting and patience, this has become a genuine Dragonfly Summer.
