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My First Emperor


My First Emperor
Photo Information
Copyright: Thijs van Balen jr (Pentaxfriend) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 484 W: 23 N: 1445] (5691)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-26
Categories: Insects
Camera: Pentax K10D, Sigma EX APO Macro 180 mm F/3.5 IF, ISO 100, 72mm B+W Skylight KR1,5
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/100 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): World of Dragonflies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-07-17 19:15
Viewed: 463
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Aeshnidae
Genus: Anax
Species: A. imperator
Binomial name: Anax imperator (Leach, 1815)




The Emperor Dragonfly, Anax imperator, is a large and powerful species of European hawker dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, averaging 78 mm (3 inches) in length.


Identification: 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. The male is highly territorial, and difficult to approach. The species lives by larger ponds, gravel pits, and slow rivers.


Behavior
This powerful Dragonfly is one of the largest species in Europe. They frequently fly high up into the sky in search of prey, which includes Butterflies to Four-spotted Chasers, small prey is eaten on the wing. The females lay the eggs into plants such as pondweed, and always lay alone.


De grote keizerlibel is een libel uit de familie van de Aeshnidae, de glazenmakers. Het is in onze omgeving de grootste libel met een grootte van 73 tot 82 millimeter. De habitat omvat allerlei stilstaande wateren, met een voorkeur voor zandgrond. De grote keizerlibel paart meestal in een boom, waarna het wijfje afdaalt naar het water om eitjes af te zetten.

De soort komt verspreid over Europa voor. In Nederland is de soort algemeen, in België zeer algemeen. De vliegtijd is van juni tot begin augustus.


German info



Shutter speed value 1/100 s
Aperture value f/10
Exposure bias value 0.00 eV
Iso speed ratings ISO 100
Focal length 180 mm
Focal length in 35mm film 270 mm
Contrast Normal
Saturation Normal
Sharpness Hard
Quality Raw
Flash mode On
Date 2008/06/26
Time 16:48:25
rcrick, marhowie, siggi, hester has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To smurali: skylightfilterPentaxfriend 1 07-19 06:47
To uleko: TimePentaxfriend 1 07-18 03:31
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 648 W: 42 N: 1198] (3860)
  • [2008-07-17 19:30]

Hi Thijs

Wow this is a stunner, brilliant colours, excellent detail, vertical crop is prefect, POV couldn’t be better, just beautiful, well done and t,f,s

Cheers Rick :)

Hi Thijs,
So this is your first capture of this beauty I see.
It will be hard to top this one the next time you get close :)
Excellent image mf,
Howard

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 2 N: 464] (2157)
  • [2008-07-17 22:07]

very beautiful! amazing focus and details on it. great colors and presentation. very well done. tfs

  •      
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2008-07-17 22:31]
  • [+]

Hello Thijs,
How I envy you having caught this beautiful dragonfly resting! I've seen several on one occasion this year here but they never seem to stop flying! Superb capture, very sharp and wonderful natural colours. Excellent use of the fill flash and a lovely smooth background too. Well done!!! I wonder at what time of day you found this resting??
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 477 W: 11 N: 1348] (4706)
  • [2008-07-17 23:02]

Hello Thijs!
Excellent detailed photo of this Dragonfly! Very fine details and excellent vivid color! Nice work!
Regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26975)
  • [2008-07-17 23:18]

Big, big congratulations Thijs! I also hunt for this beauty for long time but with no luck so far. Your first shot is perfect. Colours, DOF, composition - everything looks really good. I like it very much!

Hello Thijs,

A very detailed and sharp capture of this beautiful dragonfly! The colours are stunning.

I like the composition with it climbing up a parrallel stalk.
Excellent dof to isolate it from the b/g.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Ze rusten weinig en zijn gemakkelijk bang (van een 10 meters afstand al). Andere libellen zijn veel gemakkelijker te photograferen. 16:48u is ook zeker niet de tijd waarop ze rustig zijn. Mooi gedaan.
Ik had een on TN gepost. Het was minder moilijk te doen: de emperor had zo een grote prooi dat hij niet graag wilde vliegen.

Gr
Jm

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1357 W: 72 N: 2886] (9535)
  • [2008-07-18 12:23]

Hallo Thijs,
Schitterende opname van deze libel. De kleuren zijn fantastisch helder. Ook de scherpte en details zijn uitstekend. Mooie achtergrond en erg goede compositie.
Prettig weekend,
Peter

A fine detailed sharp shot with good profile angle, DOF was good tfs rgds Necip

Thijs, Phenomenal ! What colors and sharpness. I am glad that you could also get the entire dragon-fly in sharp focus. Excellent pic. What did you use the Skylight filter for?

- Murali

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1482 W: 18 N: 3044] (11160)
  • [2008-07-21 14:16]

Hi Thijs

This seems to be almost 3d, perfect DOF with the dragonfly standing out from the BG. I love the vertical framing here. Sharp, clear and lovely colours

TFS

Karan

Mooi!
Vooral de DOF vind ik uitstekend, Thijs. De scherpte zit dus heel goed.
Vind de foto overigens technisch heel goed maar ook heel mooi zoals 'geopend'. Zeer algemeen in België he; dat opent ook perspectieven:-)
Gefeliciteerd.
Annick

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