NikonGear'23

Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 22:17:57

Title: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 22:17:57
D5 & AF-S 500mm f/4G VR II on tripod w/ Gimbal head.
Testing my patience on this erratic flying creature.

(https://nikongear.net/revival/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1011.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faf237%2Fatpaula%2Fatpaula011%2FaD5S_4615_zpsbny56uzo.jpg&hash=bd7dbd843c586a3ffc6f2527193c859e416a55ea) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/atpaula011/aD5S_4615_zpsbny56uzo.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Mongo on November 25, 2016, 22:36:28
pretty darn good Aguinaldo - not an easy shot at all. Mongo thought he was the only crazy who tested his patience this way while waiting for the shots he really came for. Mongo was wrong.

Just for the sake of comparing patience, Mongo hopes you do not mind him posting his similar version of testing his patience. D800 with AFS 300f4

P.S. - If you really want to test patience and madness level, try photographing darting swallows with a manual 300mm f2.8 AI-s. Of course , it is not appropriate for Mongo to post those here. offered as just another stage example of patience.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 22:47:45
Wow!!!  Yours is way much better than mine.
Now I'll have to do it again!!!  lol
Next time i'll try the 300mm f/2.8G VR I.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Mongo on November 25, 2016, 22:58:12
Wow!!!  Yours is way much better than mine.
Now I'll have to do it again!!!  lol
Next time i'll try the 300mm f/2.8G VR I.

Not better Aguinaldo - just different. We both get points for patience and craziness
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Akira on November 25, 2016, 23:10:19
Aguinaldo, the linking with your image doesn't seem to work.

Mongo, this is stunning and, yes, surely proves your patience!
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 23:12:52
Aguinaldo, the linking with your image doesn't seem to work.

Mongo, this is stunning and, yes, surely proves your patience!

Photobucket is not working right now.
  :'(
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: elsid on November 25, 2016, 23:14:54
Aguinaldo, Mongo I feel I, too, have to admit that I test my patience with the dragonflies.
With Aguinaldo's permission may I post a scene from the mating ritual of the dragonfly.
Both your images are excellent.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Akira on November 25, 2016, 23:15:01
Photobucket is not working right now.
  :'(

Now it works!   :o  This is amazing!

Elias, I'm speechless...
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 23:15:15
Akira, I sent the image attached to this post.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: stenrasmussen on November 25, 2016, 23:15:51
Phan ta stic pict ures!!!
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: PedroS on November 25, 2016, 23:17:28
Sirs... great photos
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Akira on November 25, 2016, 23:18:00
LOL, Aguinbaldo, it is so difficult to chat properly here!   ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 23:19:05
I have a sequence of a couple mating too...
Also with the AF-S 500mm f/4G VR II.

(https://nikongear.net/revival/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1011.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faf237%2Fatpaula%2Fatpaula011%2FaD4S_0238_zpsmrxmsiap.jpg&hash=ab8451005ec3074c04f9030f30f4bea3466f5689) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/atpaula011/aD4S_0238_zpsmrxmsiap.jpg.html)

(https://nikongear.net/revival/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1011.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faf237%2Fatpaula%2Fatpaula011%2FaD4S_0235_zpsqhsvacai.jpg&hash=7fc4e91a0529f9e9dfbadc15ab60df38c50cf409) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/atpaula011/aD4S_0235_zpsqhsvacai.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Akira on November 25, 2016, 23:20:44
Wow, I love this kind of escalation!   :D
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Jakov Minić on November 25, 2016, 23:21:50
Wo wo wo, what is going on here :) All these super images!
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: elsid on November 25, 2016, 23:24:42
Aguinaldo, your last post depicts the final stage of the mating process. My photosshow the previous stage. The first stage is when the male
puts sperm on his thorax. Great photos.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Mongo on November 25, 2016, 23:32:04
Aguinaldo, your second series of mating on the fly are supremely sharp, detailed and amazing !  Mongo's hat is off to you sir.

some excellent other contributions
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 23:32:33
Aguinaldo, your last post depicts the final stage of the mating process. My photosshow the previous stage. The first stage is when the male
puts sperm on his thorax. Great photos.

Very strange mating process.... In your pics one seems to put the head on the other's tail. They use the head for mating? I thought of a blowjob.  lol
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 25, 2016, 23:36:41
Aguinaldo, your second series of mating on the fly are supremely sharp, detailed and amazing !  Mongo's hat is off to you sir.

some excellent other contributions

Thank you Mongo.
I posted these two last year.
 ;)
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: elsid on November 25, 2016, 23:44:49
Strange mating process indeed Aguinaldo. In my shots the male is the one in front, grabbing the female by the head. In your shots the female bends  her body to reach the thorax of the male and get the sperm.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: ArendV on November 25, 2016, 23:53:56
Very special, mating in flight well captured !

I have also been practising Dragonflies in Flight earlier this year. As they usually return to the same spots after some time you can anticipate where they will go or hang still for a very short moment. But still you have a lot of misses and some success.

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8374/29286261961_049d62f18a_b.jpg)
approaching (https://flic.kr/p/LBVKn4) by Arend (https://www.flickr.com/photos/vermazeren/), on Flickr

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8028/28741660664_07b9d864eb_b.jpg)
landing (https://flic.kr/p/KMNwnw) by Arend (https://www.flickr.com/photos/vermazeren/), on Flickr

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8058/29331695746_aa3b73ab58_b.jpg)
DIF (https://flic.kr/p/LFWBfb) by Arend (https://www.flickr.com/photos/vermazeren/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: atpaula on November 26, 2016, 00:15:22
Arend, yours #1 and #3 are the best. Congrats.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: elsid on November 26, 2016, 00:28:30
Arend, I envy you for #3.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Anirban Halder on November 26, 2016, 03:50:43
Those are some phenomenal images everyone!
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Mongo on November 26, 2016, 04:12:32
Arend, you have some incredibly sharp images in your lot. Great discipline and shooting
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: ArendV on November 26, 2016, 07:29:19
Thanks everyone for the nice comments !
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Thomas G on November 26, 2016, 13:12:20
Wait, wow. What a thread.
Appreciate the great work of all contributors.
Dragonflies are already nice photo stuffe when they sit somewhere, but in flight? Kudos to all of you!

If I was to pick just one I'd go with the opener: The impression of the erratic and dynamic flight behaviour transfers very well for me.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: John G on November 26, 2016, 16:57:46
The Title led me off to a fantastical land where myth and reality crossed over.
Now I've seen these images, I'm in a fantastical web site where myth and reality crosses over.
I'm very impressed with all the images, amazing how a Dragonfly turns up, whilst your twiddling your thumbs awaiting a proper subject to arrive.
You've made me visit a Dragonfly I suffered pain for, those Brambles were Gruesome.
Sorry for it not being a aerial action.
Title: Re: Dragonflying @ 500mm
Post by: Andrew on November 30, 2016, 15:50:29
My few: D610 with 300/4+TC-14, few years ago.