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Ischnura elegans


Ischnura elegans
Photo Information
Copyright: Alan Turvey (liquidsunshine) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2049 W: 113 N: 3422] (11474)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-06-28
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300 D, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, Hoya 58mm skylight
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/100 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-03-30 15:05
Viewed: 876
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Again from the trusty old archives. I had meant to post this last year, but it must have slipped away into the forgotten archive until tonight.

The weather seems to be turning now, so we should hopefully be looking forward to the occasional warm and sunny day. I can't wait to get back out with the macro lens, looking for interesting insects to capture.

This was taken at College lake wildlife centre in Bulbourne, one of my favourite places to visit last year. I'll have to get up there again soon to see what's about.

The Blue-tailed damselfly
Widespread and common. Flies from May to early September.

It is not choosy as to habitat, though it prefers lakes and ponds, being less common on flowing water and in exposed and upland sites. It can also tolerate some salinity. Females occur in a variety of colour forms, and the distribution and relative frequency of these in Ireland is unknown. Immature females are either form violacea (violet thorax) or form rufescens (reddish-pink thorax). The immature rufescens matures into a form known as rufescens-obsoleta whilst the immature violacea can mature either into the andromorph or into infuscans.

Males of this species are similar to males of the much rarer Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura pumilio. However the commoner Blue-tail is a larger insect and the blue on the tail is confined to segment 8, whereas in the Scarce Blue-tail it covers the posterior portion of segment 8 and all of segment 9. The shape of the pronotum also differs, in Ischnura elegans it has a pronounced rectangular-shaped median lobe wheras in I. pumilio the median lobe is gently rounded and much less pronounced.

KEY IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

males and most females are mainly black with blue confined to segment 8
pterostigma is long and bicoloured

Notes rom www.habitas.org.uk

Thanks for looking, enjoy the rest of the week.
ALIRIZA, SkyF, phlr, jeanpaul, Signal-Womb, timleahy, loot, dew77, Dando, coasties, marhowie, naimonetti, livios, thistle, AndyB, firelord, Luc has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Alan !
Very nice close up. POV, colors, clear details, framing and composition are wonderful. TFS. Congratulations...
Ali Rıza

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-03-30 15:11]

Hello Alan,
The color of that dragon fly is wonderful. Sharp detailsand nice POV. Perfect exposure.Elegant composition and great framing.
TFS..Sky

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1277 W: 133 N: 862] (2772)
  • [2006-03-30 15:41]

Simply the best!
Perfect photo of this litle odonata!
Stunning on details, colours, DOF, POV and BG!
5* and TFS!
Keep on going!

Bonjour alan
Très belle prise de vue en macro sur cette jolie libellule.Belle composition, les couleurs les détails tout est réussi.Très joli BG
Bravo et au revoir....JP

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1103 W: 173 N: 1227] (4038)
  • [2006-03-30 16:12]

Hi Alan,
To be honest I haven't seen much of your macro work but this is excellent. A nice composition, detail and colour are spot-on. It seems most of Sigma's lenses have excellent Bokeh.
Cheers,
Adrian

Hello Alan, very nice macro capture, clean composition with good details and colour. Like you I am looking forward to the return of the insects. It will will a nice change from landscape this year. Well done.

Very nice picture Alan.
Great colors and composition.
Good POV and BG.
TFS!!!!
Regards
JC

Alan,

Two dragonfly shots were posted tonight, both superb! Composition is excellent, and depth of field control also, with the insect in sharp relief against the background.

...tim

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5682 W: 598 N: 3355] (8931)
  • [2006-03-30 22:57]
  • [2]

Hi Alan
Great capture of this lovely damselfly.
The composition is good, colours are rich, DOF is on the button with nice details, BG is very complimentary of the insect, and the exposure was well controlled.
Excellent work done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-03-31 2:36]

Hello Alan!
Excellent close up.POV,colors,details,cross framing,sharpness and
composition are wonderful.TFS..:-)

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 32 N: 790] (3052)
  • [2006-03-31 4:15]

Hi Alan, excellent macro. I wish I had photos as good as this that I had forgotten about. Details, colours, exposure etc. all spot on. I'm thinking about the 350d early next year so hopefully get some goods shots like yours. TFS.
Dean.

Hi Alan

Sorry, I am short on time tonight as I am competing in a car rally tomorrow morning so I will be up early, so just a quick visit. Nice shot and fully deserves the green smiley. :-)

Hi Alan,
Well composed frame, great POV and DOF. BG is great, very good color and details..
Well done!

Wonderful perspective, DOF and colours.

Wow! Very nice photo of this damselfly. So clear and sharp. Great exposure- the reflected light off his blue body and his tail is fantastic! Very delicate and solid at the same time. Thanks :)
Nichole

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16850)
  • [2006-04-02 21:00]

Alan, this is very nice.

Great colors, pov and composition. I also enjoy sharpness and the beautiful and soft bg.

Congratulations.

Hello Alan,
Lovely sunny shot! Very good POV and nice framing. I like the colours here and the clean BG. I just have feeling whole could have been a little sharper.
Overall, great shot!
WELL DONE!

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1592 W: 32 N: 1361] (3978)
  • [2006-04-06 3:21]

Hello Alan,
A very nice capture.
Good sharpness from head to tail,excellent exposure and pov.
Not long to wait for the new ones now!
Great shot.

TFS

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1549 W: 0 N: 1158] (6414)
  • [2006-04-07 21:12]

Hi Alan,
Great macro shot!
The details are excellent and very well composition.
Thanks for sharing!

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