Dragonfly
Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in my back garden on a particularly hot morning. I think the dragonfly was sunbathing on our bird feeder!Time
It was about midday. Pretty much all the advice I've ever read on getting good dragonfly or butterfly photos suggests sticking to early morning or late evening when the insects are more still, but I've always noticed that insects seem pretty relaxed in our sun trap of a garden whatever the time of day.Lighting
At midday, naturally the light is going to be getting harsher, and a lot of photography advice might tell you to avoid this kind of light. But I'd like to think that this photo shows that it doesn't matter too much and that you can still get a good photo at any time of day: because my camera body is pretty old, I actually prefer shooting in very bright conditions so I can keep the ISO down and make sure I get a detailed image.Equipment
I use a Canon 450D, and my Tamron SP 90mm 2.8 Di VC macro lens. My camera body is pretty old but it takes great photos in the right conditions, and my Tamron lens is just incredible! I was moving around quite a bit to get a clean background, so I shot handheld.Inspiration
I love macro photography because it brings out details you might not really notice day-to-day. Insects fascinate me because they are so different to us, and when you see them up close they can look a bit alien! I also like the technical challenge of shooting insects because it can be tricky: you need patience, correct camera settings, quick reflexes, and a good eye for composition.Editing
I don't like processing my photos much and try to do as little as possible, so levels-wise I only made some slight brightness adjustments to bring out all of the dragonfly's detail. I did have to crop in a bit too, because if I'd got any closer I might have scared the dragonfly off!In my camera bag
I only have one camera body, my Canon 450D. My three lenses are all Tamron - 24-70mm 2.8, 90mm 2.8 macro, and 70-300mm 4-5.6 - and I usually take two out of the three when I'm out. I like to get close to my subjects and fill the frame, so those lenses are great on a crop body. The 90mm macro is a really crisp lens. I also have a Canon 580ex ii flash which I sometimes use so I can keep the ISO down, but I always diffuse it!Feedback
I concentrate mainly on what's in the background when I'm shooting, because a busy background often ruins a photo for me and distracts the viewer. Keep it clean and if you can, chose a background colour that complements your subject and makes it stand out. It's said a lot, but when you're photographing wildlife, patience is key: if you've visualised what you want your photo to look like and are set up for it, often you just have to wait for all of the elements to come together. Personally, I won't settle for anything less than what I've got in mind: I'd rather not take a photo at all than take one that I know I won't be happy with!
