<< Previous Next >>

back to the experiment


back to the experiment
Photo Information
Copyright: jaap polak (carper) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-08-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 350D, Sigma 70-300mm Macro Super II 1:4-5.6
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/640 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-08-21 12:38
Viewed: 1052
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Aeshna mixta

A medium sized hawker flying in late summer to early autumn. It is also called as horsebiter, but that's only a name. They are eating insect such as flying ants.This species may be confused with Aeshna juncea. Feeds mainly in the afternoon and evening. When perched they hang vertically to catch as much sunlight as possible.

The male (above) is brown with blue markings. The female is brown with yellow markings.


Dragon fly are large, skinny and generally splendid coloured insects. They have two couples large wings with very many veins in those wings, which they keep he body right. All dragon fly are bright hunters. The larvae live two years in the water before crawling out of the water, and there to peel for the last time before he is a full grown dragon fly. There is no headstock stage. The many attentive emperor dragon fly belong to the largest insect of the Benelux. The larva gladly stays in ponds, where he can attack even smaller fish. Dragon flies are subdivided in two head groups: the glaziers or real dragon flies and the damsel flies. Real dragon flies are much larger and stronger, much improve flies (up to 100 kilometres in a hour) for this reason, they will be seen, also far from water parties. Damsel fly are much smaller, and for this reason they are more bound to the water then dragon fly, but they are frequently more beautiful, generally blue or red. The males of both groups frequently occupy a territory, where female and other males, are not welcome.



I try 800 asa out, with this 70-300 mm lens and the canon close up lens 5ooD. This last one you can use as a filter, you can screw it up.
I used it together with a speedlight 420 ex. You know I get pleasure in it, because it's working. I got a tip from Gert he sais to me use a lower F and made more speed then you got a sharper subject in the composition. Well I did do it and the result, well you may say it.
gr. jaap
phlr, wallhalla15, vanderschelden, scottevers7, liquidsunshine, jeanpaul, aido, TAZ, jhm, Alex99, ddg, marhowie, ellis49, jmp, hansh, metcher, SkyF, thor68, dew77, CatherineD has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-08-21 13:14]

Lovely POV and composition. Great natural colours as well.

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 129 N: 881] (2814)
  • [2006-08-21 13:31]

Excellent on details Jaap!
Never saw this specie. I don't know if it exists in Portugal.
Very good use of DOF!
Excellent on colours!
5* photo!
Keep on going and TFS!

Hello Jaap, excllenr colors, BG, POV DOF perfect details, very crisp, excellent photo, TFs Kyle

Hello Jaap,
I hunt with my camera the dragonflies and you make the excellent pictures! I have no luck with this insect. ;-) This is an excellent macro. Fantastic sharpness, details and brillant colours. Excellent POV and excellent note too. Thank you my friend.
Gr.
Heinz

Jaap,
Mooie foto.
'Body' is goed scherp. Vleugels iets minder (plaatselijk) maar dit stoort niet echt. Veel scherptediepte heb je wellicht niet zelfs met dit diafragma.
Groeten
Annick

Hi Jaap,
You did very well here. The composition and framing look great. Very nice colors from the spot on exposure. Nice sharp detail. Great looking clear detail in the wings. Very good camera work here.
scott

Hello Jaap,
The details are nice, clear and sharp.
Good colours and lighting. Exposure is a touch hot in some places, but not a major issue. DOF is spot on and the POV is good.
Well composed, well framed and good notes.
Thanks for posting, have a great week.

Hi Jaap,
it's soooo impressive, this big dragon is so sharp, a wonderful arrangement, I like it.
Many greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Salut Jaap
Magnifique photo que cette jolie libellule.J'aime beaucouP tous ces détails ,très
belle présentation et superbe BG.
Merci et au revoir ....JP

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-08-21 17:04]

Hello Jaap , A Great shot from the dragonfly , very good sharpnes details compositie colours pov bg , and framing ,very good ,greetings Teunie .

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-08-21 19:19]

Hi Jaap,
Another fantastic experiment from you! Excellent detail andn nicely framed, great DOF too. I think the exposure is a little bright, perhaps an exposure bias of -0.33 or -0.67 would help. Even more shutter speed then. Great work and good note.
Regards,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-08-22 1:09]

Your experiment continue to be good. F14 works well with this big and beautiful insect. The result for sharpness and DOF is great. Congratulations Jaap and TFS.

Hello Jaap,
A wonderful dragonfly macro!
Interesting composition with a perfect diagonal, excellent colours and details!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 649 W: 0 N: 178] (628)
  • [2006-08-22 1:53]

Dag Jaap,

Dit is en blijft uw grote specialiteit Libellen, opnieuw zijn de vleugels als fijne blaadjes zoals vroeger de schilderijen in de lagere school, zo mooi doorzichtig, daar wacht ik reeds jaren op !
Prachtig werk Jaap.

Groeten,
John

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3586 W: 143 N: 5690] (18601)
  • [2006-08-22 8:04]

Hi Jaap.
Excellent picture of dragonfly. I like diagonal composition of your shot. great details and colours, excellent DOV and impressive blurred BG. Superb done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 23 N: 942] (5111)
  • [2006-08-22 8:28]

Bonjour Jaap, excellent composition and good experiment too!! Razorshape details and very nice colors of the insecte. Perfect BG. Best regards, didier.

Hello Jaap,
Great sharpness with very good DOF and nice detail..
Well composed shot and an excellent POV as well :)
Very good results for ISO 800..
Well done!

HI Jaap,
this is a very good close-up with lovely colours and light.
The details are very good and the DOF is great, the entire dragonfly is within focus and the BG nicely blurred.
Well composed and good POV.
Maybe some small parts thats are slightly OE as Adrian mention, but thats a minor nit.
Beautiful work, my friend.

Good work for experimenting. It's surprising that you still can't get enough DOF at F/14! Apart from that, it's pretty sharp all over. Seems to be a slight lack of colour but maybe it's just not a very colourful specimen.

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 962 W: 0 N: 89] (7801)
  • [2006-08-22 12:11]

Hi Jaap
Good details, sharpnes, light, colours and POV. Also good note.
Well done mf

osse

hi jaap
excellente macro,netteté couleurs et details.
bravo.
laurent

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2006-08-23 7:39]

Hi Jaap,
Good result are you getting from your lens. Very good details, sharpness and a right dov.
TFS, Jose M.

  • Great 
  • hansh Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 214 W: 1 N: 156] (634)
  • [2006-08-23 13:25]

Dag Jaap.
Staat er weer prachtig op, je experimenten leveren vruchten op. Knap dat je zelfs de vleugels bijna helemaal scherp er op hebt staan.
Gr. Hans

  • Great 
  • Graal Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 755 W: 31 N: 20] (5032)
  • [2006-08-24 4:04]

Hi Jaap,
good macro, nice composition and DOF. I like it. Good work.
Rgs, Aleksander

Hi, Jaap.
Nice butterfly shot. Very good sharpness, DOF and composition. Like also POV and BG.

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-08-24 7:58]

Hello Jaap,
this one looks great, excellent details and the colors are lovely. You captured its beauty perfectly. Excellent sharpness and superp DOF.
Very nice composition.
TFS..Sky

Hi Jaap,

prima foto van een prachtige paardenbijter.
POV is perfect.
scherpte perfect.
alleen moeder natuur is vergeten deze Paardenbijter wat meer kleur mee te geven
ik mis een beetje blauw in de staart en een beetje groen in het lijf.
maar hij blijft mooi.

Gr Thijs

  • Great 
  • mbasil Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 336 W: 149 N: 745] (3304)
  • [2006-08-25 21:13]

Wonderful job, Jaap! Great details, the faster sepped does seem to have worked well here. I like the diagonal composition, too.
Mike

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-08-28 7:39]

Hello Jaap,
Wonderful dragonfly capture.I liked POV,cross framing,blurred BG a lot.
TFS...:-)

Hello Jaap,
Thanks for the tip. I see on your photo that it works very well! Very good sharpness and DOF. I will try it! Have a nice week-end,
Catherine

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF