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#30 - Balkan Emerald


#30 - Balkan Emerald
Photo Information
Copyright: Horia Bogdan (horia) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2173 W: 220 N: 4384] (14904)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-06
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 400D Digital Rebel XTi, Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/1000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Dragonflies of Europe 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-12-26 10:11
Viewed: 676
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello friends,

I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and relaxed a bit, perhaps thinking of how the soon past year was and what your plans for the new one will be.
I also hope that at least some of you (still) considered joining a few other TN members and myself on a nice TN meeting somewhere towards the end of spring/beginning of summer 2009. You can read more about that on the Forum thread.

As probably many of your know, Greg (red45) and i had a little friendly competition this year about posting as many Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) shots from this year. Unfortunately, Greg had some serious health issues these past few months and so he couldn't participate actively on TN... :( He's ok now, don't worry :)

However, even without a competition, i pursued in posting d-fly photos from the last season and today i believe it's my 30th and final (of this year) post on this subject.
I left this species as the last one because it was the first time for me to even see one from this genus and i was also very happy to find it in quite an interesting place...one that it has not been documented in before.

The species is Somatochlora meridionalis - the Balkan Emerald and here you can see on flying. I know things like DOF and sharpness aren't the best here, but i just love its eyes from this angle :)
I also posted another photo of the same specimen but resting - please check the Workshop.
For more info of the species, here is a useful link to a very good website.
For more photos of this species and others, you can visit my website.


I hope you'll like this shot and also hope you've enjoyed this year's Odonata olympics. We're accepting entries for next year's ;)

Thanks for watching.

Here is the list of my d-flies posted this year so far:
Damselflies:
1.Calopteryx virgo - Beautiful demoiselle
2.Calopteryx splendens – Banded demoiselle
3.Sympecma fusca - Common Winter damsel
4.Platycnemis pennipes - White-legged damselfly
5.Pyrrhosoma nymphula - Large Red damselfly
6.Erythromma viridulum - Small redeye
7.Enallagma cyathigerum - Common bluet
8.Ischnura elegans - Blue-tailed damselfly
9.Ischnura pumilio - Small bluetail
10.Coenagrion pulchellum - Variable damselfly
11.Coenagrion ornatum - Ornate bluet
12.Coenagrion puella - Azure bluet
13.Lestes barbarus - Migrant spreadwing
14.Lestes virens - Small spreadwing

Dragonflies:
15.Aeshna isoceles - Green-eyed hawker
16.Aeshna cyanea - Southern hawker
17.Aeshna mixta - Migrant hawker
18.Brachytron pratense - Hairy hawker
19.Libellula fulva - Scarce chaser
20.Libellula depressa - Broad-bodied chaser
21.Orthetrum cancellatum - Black-tailed skimmers
22.Orthetrum albistylum - White-tailed skimmer
23.Orthetrum coerulescens - Keeled skimmer
24.Gomphus vulgatissimus - Common clubtail
25.Onychogomphus forcipatus - Small pincertail
26.Cordulegaster bidentata – Sombre goldenring
27.Sympetrum meridionale - Southern darter
28.Sympetrum striolatum - Common darter
29.Anax imperator - Emperor dragonfly
30.Somatochlora meridionalis - Balkan Emerald

EXIF data :
Camera: Canon 400D
Lens: Sigma 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 APO DC Macro
Focal Length: 190 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec.
Metering Mode: Evaluative metering
F-Stop: f/9
Exposure Bias: -1/3
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Support: tripod
TOD: about 5 PM
Weather conditions: sunny
Argus, Noisette, uleko, red45, SunToucher, hester, eqshannon, trekks, iris has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To gannu: About in-flightshoria 1 12-28 03:40
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3825 W: 190 N: 11396] (35111)
  • [2008-12-26 10:19]

Nice in-flight of a Somatochlora Horia!
This meridionalis I have never seen before but this shot portrays it well to show the head and body with pretty good sharpness and the very thin waist of the upper abdomen.
30 dragonfly species in one year is very impressive!
Thanks for sharing this and may your 2009 be a happy and successful year!
Ivan

frumos Horia!
imi place mult captura si culorile!
septimiu

Hi Horia,
you made such a wonderful shot of this flying beauty. It's amazing - the shot of the year!
Thanks, I like it very much
Sabine - wishnugaruda

hello Horia
very beautiful dragonfly shot, good point of view and nice BG
I like his eyes very much
TFS
jacqueline

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3001 W: 162 N: 989] (2897)
  • [2008-12-26 23:26]

Hello Horia,
A very nice in-flight capture of this beautiful metallic dragonfly with lovely green eyes. It stands out very nicely against the soft background.
TFS and regards, Ulla

hello horia,
i have posted my first flying hoverfly yesterday and am glad to see thisbeautfiul dragonfly capture from you, you did this with 70/300. great command on the equipment, i liked the frontal pov, the sharpness and the way you have composed this shot,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2008-12-27 3:59]

Hello my friend!

You're winner :-) Congratulations! I enjoyed our competition very much! It was great experience and I learnt many new things about fascinating world of d-flies. I hope we'll repeat such event next year, maybe with new competitors?

Your last picture is great. Another dragonfly in flight, but this time true emerald! I've never seen this specie and I'm jelaous! Fantastic work Horia.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2008-12-27 6:29]
  • [+]

Horia, I always want to take such shots and this is amazing. Guide me how to do such shot. Superb composition Ganesh

  • Great 
  • eliz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 167 W: 22 N: 269] (1535)
  • [2008-12-27 9:11]

30 de specii de libelule intr-un an este o performanta impresionanta. felicitari si sper sa ne incanti privirea si pe viitor cu poze cel putin la fel de bune, facute poate cu Sigma 150+tc :).

Con la visión de esa libélula, te deseo un buen fin de año y un feliz 2009.

Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi.

Hi Horia,
Another great one and time even in full flight. I already have difficulties to capture a moving Scotish Highlander so I can't imagine how I would capture such a fast flying insect.
It amazes me how you were not only able to capture the insect in flight, but also managed to get the focal spot right on its head. The movement in the wings are great and you got a wonderful bokeh on the photo.
TFS,
Niek

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2008-12-28 12:17]

Hi Horia

Congratulations on posting such a wonderful set. Amazing timing to catch these mid flight. I love the composition here.

TFS

Karan

Always good to see you.. I had removed you from my usual list because you were not posting and when you did it was stuff I could find in gallery....I have to make more room so I ca include these kinds of true scientific and natural image done so well.
Bob

  •      
  • trekks Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 104 W: 39 N: 7] (36)
  • [2008-12-29 7:50]

hi Horia

Very good moment's capture of the freeze to the dragonfly with its wings still on motion blur at 1/1000s, yet showing good sharpness on the head. I like the diagonal tilt.

tfs, bill

  • Great 
  • iris Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 469 W: 60 N: 947] (3016)
  • [2009-01-03 4:21]

Hello Horia,
Congratulations are in order for the tasks you have taken up and succesfully executed....as i mentioned to one of our common friends-James Parker, ths is what that makes TN more exciting and interesting...people coupling their subject knowldge with their skills for photography..and one is lucky to read and learn about so many little facets of nature whether sitting in India or USA or Poland or Ethiopia.And when camarderie exists, the process get all the more exciting.This I think is the perfect time of the year to communicate one's appreciation for these efforts.
I agree with you, that this may not be the best in DoF , but those eyes are quite interesting to look at ...they look partly like a pair of emerald chiselled and smoothened and fitted to perfection.Thank you for sharing and wish you another good year of peace, health and great photography.
Cheers
Silpa

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