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Saved from drowning and fishes, the lucky dragonfly dries its wings, safe on the finger of my darling wife.

Saved from drowning and fishes, the lucky dragonfly dries its wings, safe on the finger of my darling wife.
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DSC-F828

Aperture f/5.6 ISO 64 Shutter 10/2500

upload_date

Dec, 2013

Views

1634

Likes

+229

Awards

People's Choice in Just Dragon Flies Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+50

Top Choice

+20

Magnificent Capture

+13

Superb Composition

+12

Absolute Masterpiece

+12

Outstanding Creativity

Superior Skill

All Star

Exceptional Contrast

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Genius

Virtuoso

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Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 20 rank week 1

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was made in front of our house at Lake Ohrid shore. Living there means having a lot of opportunities to observe dragonflies and damselflies in all phases of their lives.

Time

It was beginning of August, the time was 12:51

Lighting

Pure unchanged daylight with the Sun about zenith, which is not exactly the best time of day for general photography, but did serve me well in this case.

Equipment

I used Sony F-828 out of hand. Exposure was f5.6 @ 1/250sec (64ISO), no flash, no change in EV. In short, a straight shot of one nice theme with one nice camera (which died recently, after 12 years of impeccable functioning, and is sorely missed).

Inspiration

My wife and me often help the metamorphing dragonflies through the stage when they exit the water, dry out, split the pupa and emerge in their new form as insects. This is the critical half hour in their lives when they're at their most vulnerable, as every creature around wants to eat them: snakes, frogs, and birds alike. So whenever we spot a newly changing dragonfly, we'll let them climb on the finger, where they can safely sit, dry out and spread their wings, to take their first flight. The story doesn't end there... it is hard to believe all their returning to us, behaving friendly, recognizing us around, landing on the familiar hand... it would take a book to describe all the incredible experience we've had with those fascinating insects. And we have it thoroughly documented, of course.

Editing

The picture passed through the usual post-processing workflow (color balance, cropping to this layout, reducement of size for uploading), and nothing more.

In my camera bag

I'm using a photo jacket, and usually carry two different cameras. One is my "main" camera (in this case the F-828) which fitted well into the right side long-lens pocket, and the other camera will always be some watertight compact. I often take photos around some water or other, and inevitably want to see what's under the surface as well. Other pockets will hold all the spare batteries, some filters like ND, CPL, and sometimes an +10 strength add-on macro lens. Then there's the camera clamp (instead of a tripod), a length of strong rope or string, a lighter, a pocket knife... Those simple things let me improvise, if an when the situation requires it.

Feedback

If you want to photograph dragonflies, study your local freshwater lakes, puddles or creeks. Watch the places where there's lots of greenery around, like reed, for instance. Depending upon your location, the larvae will begin to emerge in the Spring, when the ambiental temperature becomes steady and above 18 deg Celsius. Look for godawfully ugly 3/4" long dark green bugs (see http://www.viewbug.com/photo/39229661 ) coming up the reedstalks, or climbing the sunward sides of shore rocks. They'll stop above the surface and slowly dry into immobility, while changing their color to light bread-crust. When the pupa dries crisp, it will break along the back and the new being will emerge eyes first, looking for all the Hollywood like an Alien. It will usually stay hooked to its pupa. The wings will spread by the hydraulic force in the net of the blood vessels and dry in the air. When the insect spreads all its four wings to the sides, the process is finished and it will be ready to fly away. Well, you can help them the way we do! From the moment they are completely out of their "shell", you can gently offer them your finger to climb up on, and take incredible macro photos for the next twenty minutes before the transformation is complete. Take care not to touch them though; they are extremely easy to damage. Show them love, think them nice thoughts... and see what happens later! :)

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