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Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2492 W: 132 N: 7090] (22145)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-25
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/16, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-06-18 22:15
Viewed: 415
Points: 62
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Whitefaces are a relatively small group of dragonflies that is related to Chasers and Skimmers (Libellulidae). They are easily recognised, even at a distance, by their strikingly white faces.

There are five species in mainly NE Europe and seven in N. America.

This is a male Ruby Whiteface (Leucorrhinia rubicunda) found by most lakes in Sweden even well north of the Arctic Circle.

I have never seen a Whiteface hanging in a vertical position like a Hawker (Darner) usually does while resting, though it may do this at night. Instead it may use a stone or plant by the water to watch out for passing insects or its own kind.

This shot shows its ability to move the head upwards to show the white face to another Ruby Whiteface. The white must act as a signal. The WORKSHOP shows it with its head in the normal position.

It is interesting to note what a comprehensive field of vision a dragonfly has: the wide-angle ability of the large compound eyes is enhanced by the ability of the head to move up and down as well as side to side.

The compound eye itself consists of hundreds of small facet eyes. Each facet eye sees a simplified blurred version of the object. But when the object moves these facet eyes can detect movement very accurately. This is why one must approach very slowly when photographing insects. As many insects can see ultra-violet light their colour vision is different from that of mammals.

This was taken with the camera hand-held at a distance of over two meters. After slight cropping and size reduction, the image was selectively sharpened.
vanderschelden, iris, rcrick, fyapici, gracious, alikox, Vinster, maurydv, nkasot, boreocypriensis, zulfu, siolaw, bahadir, sandpiper2, xTauruSx, eqshannon, haraprasan, jaycee, pekkavalo1, Silvio2006, CeltickRanger, goldyrs has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Ivan,
Very good work.
I like the subtle wings as they are very sharp...
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • mariki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 892 W: 65 N: 1759] (7555)
  • [2008-06-18 22:38]

Hello Ivan,

Excellent capture of this beautiful dragonfly. Great POV, DOF and sharpness. Beautiful detail. Excellent exposure and colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 581 W: 40 N: 1057] (3424)
  • [2008-06-18 23:01]

Hello Ivan,

Superb capture of this Whitefaced Dragonfly, amazing colours and detail, excellent d.o.f and sharpness, composition and framing all very good, really nice work, all the best,

Cheers Rick :)

Hi Ivan,

What can we say? You managed the light very well. Very nice, sharp and clean image. Bravo and TFS.

Greetings
Fevzi

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1210 W: 0 N: 4626] (13756)
  • [2008-06-18 23:22]

Hi Ivan

An excellent shot of this dragonfly. Superb detail and exposure. Well seen and captured.

James

I really must try to get some dragonfly shots - I do live by a river!!!

Hello Ivan,
Amazing sharpness even the reflection from the wings can be clearly seen on the surface of the rock! my compliment for such fine macro!
perfect exposure and focus!
many thanks for this wonderful posting
regards
Tony

Hi Ivan,
A very sharp and detailed macro. Background is nicely blurred. Note is excellent. TFS
Ali.

Hi Ivan,
Great captured- nice POV and good DOF, good light, colours and composition. Natural BG gives more to look at.
cheers
Adrian

Bellissima cattura di questa libellula, molto bella la composizione con POV laterale che utilizza al meglio la luce ed esalta gli effetti grafici delle ali, ottima nitidezza, molto belli i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Hello Ivan, superb detailed macro of this beautiful dragonfly. TFS. Regards,
Nazım

Hi Ivan, My dear Friend,
Perfect macro shot-as usual:)-of a a male Ruby Whiteface with supeb clarity and great DOF. Great composition my friend!
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 476 W: 0 N: 70] (491)
  • [2008-06-19 1:52]

Wonderful detailed shot Ivan. TFS. Regards,
Mehmet

Hello Ivan
Great work here with the harsh light...I like your use of f16 to capture the wings very sharply even down to the perfect shadow on the near wings.
Excellent camera work and a well sought out subject.
Best Regards
Paul

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 840 W: 4 N: 2081] (9772)
  • [2008-06-19 3:26]

The dragon fly is placed firmly on the rock. Lovely lighting and nice colors.Sharp picture. Ganesh

Hello Ivan, superb detailed macro with wonderful composition. TFS. Regards, Bahadır

Hi Ivan

What a fantastic looking dragon. I'd like to see these ones in the flesh; that white face is outstanding.
Good POV and DOF. Great sharpness and composition.

Chris

Hello Ivan, an excellent shot of this dragonfly. TFS. Regards,
Deniz

Some days are like that. A good shot of an insect on the perfect perch with the perfect DOF. Very sharp on the insect Ivan...and well marked. A colourful one this is..Methinks Cheney, WA is not the home for many of these, so I shall have to suffice with looking at others images...and this one has its own unique Ivan style!
Bob

Hi Ivan,
Most probably the most gorgeous dragonfly I have ever seen. Very well captured top POV. Superb details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi dear Ivan ,
Another nice macro from you.
well exposed.
Details and light are great.

Regards
Saeed

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1684 W: 8 N: 4321] (14053)
  • [2008-06-19 9:23]

Hi Ivan,

Good shot of this Whiteface resting on the rock. I wondered about the rock but you explain that in your excellent notes. I don't think I have seen a dragonfly in this pose before. I see where its name comes from - colors and details of the face, body and wings are superb. A new one to add to my list of what I've learned on TN.

Jane

HOla Ivan:
Magnifico el detalle de esta foto a pesar de estar hecha con un tele de 400 y un convertidor y todo ello con un factor de 1.6 de la cámara. El detalle es fenomenal lo mismo que el colorido.
Saludos
Jacobo

Hi Ivan,

Excellent capture of Ruby Whiteface. I can't remember ever seeing one. Good composition and POV, very nice colours and sharp details.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 375 W: 0 N: 747] (3202)
  • [2008-06-19 13:03]

Bonjour Ivan
Très belle capture, couleurs et netteté, excellente lumière naturelle que tu as très bien exploité, très beau sujet.
Amicalement Robi

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1109 W: 59 N: 2247] (7449)
  • [2008-06-19 13:45]

Hello Ivan,
Another wonderful photo with excellent colours, sharpness and details. Great POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1583 W: 242 N: 5286] (18629)
  • [2008-06-19 13:51]

Oh cool! I've never seen one of them before!
Very, very, very sharp image!
Excellent composition and POV.
Great lighting too.
Brilliant DOF.

Very well done, Ivan!

TFS!!
Joe

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-06-19 20:42]

Hello Ivan

The clarity is super with wonderfully sharp detail.
Well saturated colours.
Very good pov and dof.
TFS

Rob

hello Ivan

great shot of that insect with a different POV from above
and giving that great eye-contact of the insect with you looking up,
excellent luminosity, great sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Ivan,
You do such wonderful things to these small insects in your shots, and then we have your notes, which could be a subject book for a student!
I only wonder, what if you were to post shots of larger mammals?Oh!That would be a fantasy fulfilled!
Goldy

Hola Ivan, gracias por tu ayuda en la id de Strangalia :-)
Mi flor creo que se trata de Cistus monpeliensis. Te adjunto enlace: http://herbarivirtual.uib.es/cas-ub/especie/4449.html

Saludos: Josep Ignasi Tejedor.

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 24 N: 4885] (15930)
  • [2008-06-27 8:26]

Hi Ivan,
Outstanding shot of this great looking Whiteface. Lovely colours and details on its abdomen and the natural light is perfectly handled. That rock acts as a superb perch. Excellent POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

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