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blue emperor - Anax imperator


blue emperor - Anax imperator
Photo Information
Copyright: JeanMarie Mouveroux (Nephrotome2) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 535 W: 70 N: 519] (1850)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-14
Categories: Insects
Camera: Olympus C770 UZ, no lens, (digital), No Filter
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/80 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-08-26 4:07
Viewed: 299
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Blue Emperor (male)


THE BLUE EMPEROR :

anax empereur (Fr)
Anax imperator (Lat)
Large and powerful, averaging 78 mm in length.
Males have a sky blue abdomen marked with a diagnostic black dorsal stripe and an apple green thorax.
Females have a green thorax and abdomen.
Local status : least concern.
Some sources quote the blue emperor as the largest insect in europe. Others quote Saga pedo (Matriarchal Katydid (EN), magicienne dentelee(FR)) or Lucanus cervus (Stag beetle (EN), cerf volant (FR)). It probably depends on the definition of largest (bulkiest, heaviest, longest, wingspan). The 3 of them occured in France.
The largest insect ever in the world was Meganeura monyi (fossil) with a wingspan of 2.5 ft (76 cm)


THE PIC :

The blue emperor is not the easiest dragonfly to shoot: it rests seldom and if it does it usually perchs very high.
I was lucky. This one was resting and perching only 1m from the ground. I start walking in slow motion from a 7m distance and could come as close as the minimal distance allowed by my camera: 3 cm, close-up of the head.
I liked the scene for the background: berries and leaves.
Posted the way it was: hanging and the tail pointing to the ground.


PIC VALUES :

ISO 50
1/80
F/3.5
14/8/2008 2:05PM
10mm


Thanks for looking.
anel, crs, jrobertop has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To anel: reussir a photographier l'empereurNephrotome2 1 08-26 05:52
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1277 W: 0 N: 2341] (9848)
  • [2008-08-26 5:22]
  • [+]

Bonjour Jean-Marie,
Les libellules ont tendance à être discrètes sur le thumbnail..mais ton Anax imperator une fois révélé est d'une grande beauté. Tu l'as joliment photographié, suspendu à des mûres (?). pas facile en effet de photographier cette espèce, je n'ai jamais réussi.
Bon après-midi
Anne

Hi JeanMarie

Impressive shot of this very beautiful dragon hanging onto the berries.
Great colours. Excellent sharpness, good composition and DOF.

Chris

Bonjour Jean-Marie,
It is not easy to photograph Anax imperator in such pose! I have never even seen this species "relaxing" like in your photo! Very nice POV and good sharpness/DoF. Bravo and congratulations!
Best regards,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 439 W: 0 N: 703] (2787)
  • [2008-08-26 9:10]

Hello JeanMarie,

You have done an excelent shot with the dragonfly. You have got an excelent sharpness on the head and torax of the insect. I like very much the way you have shown the eyes of the insect. Composition looks well with this rather unusual POV.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

Hi JeanMarie.
Pretty dragonfly!
Brightness natural very well worked!
Very interesting POV, excellent sharpness.
Well done!
Regards,
José Roberto

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