Dragonflies and Damselflies

[elsa hoffmann]

We toured Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens today - and since I am not the world's greatest flower photographer - I hunted down other stuff.

Dragonflies. Of course I couldnt resist the challenge of in-flight thingies. Other people looked at me funny as I chased them around

[basker]

I like the first one best, but I also like the rest.

[basker]

or maybe number 4…

2, 3 and 5 are really nice.

6 is good too.

How did you do that?

[Frank Fremerey]

Love the in-flights very much!

[Bill De Jager]

I like them all for different reasons, but especially the in-flight ones.  But also look at the veins on the first one - how often do you see such wings silhouetted?

[David H. Hartman]

The old one told to children was, "They will sew your lips closed." The darner "darning needle" thing. I've seen them molting in my friend's pond. Probably a rufus dragonfly.

Thanks for posting these. I like the inflight photographs and all.

Dave Hartman

I'm not sure of the spelling. I search of for "rufus dragonfly" and get everything but. I search "bug" identification sites and get Google again with no hits. Anyway I find dragon and damselflies fascinating.

[Anthony]

My favourite is the first, because of the delicate tracery of the wings.

[atpaula]

Awesome!
I like them all, but the #4 is simply stunning.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks all for looking and commenting.

Basker - I used the 200-500 and it was quite a challenge as the lens get heavy as you can imagine and they are fast. Truly - the other people there laughed at me.

It is (for me) damn near impossible to shoot them in flight and get the wings showing the veins. It just isnt going to happen. So I like the DIF but probably because I managed to get it and not because its a good shot.

The flying ones (DIF) were shot at 1/5000. ISO 1600 to get to that speed. Backgrounds crucial in flight otherwise I simply couldn't lock on.

For clarity - the first one is also my favourite.

Dave Hartman - check this http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/dragonfly-and-damselfly-identification-help

[Randy Stout]

Elsa:

Congrats on some great shots of a very challenging target!

#4 for me for sure.

in re: to the people looking at you funny.  Often the case when doing something out of the ordinary, which is what creates things that are memorable.  Keep[ it up

Randy

[Jakov Minić]

I wouldn't Elsa chasing me down like she did with those flies

[elsa hoffmann]

I wouldn't Elsa chasing me down like she did with those flies

of course you wouldnt NEED chasing down