photoartflightFinally A Blue Dasher In My Yard
Usually we have a few different types of Dragonflies in our yard. But this Summer we have only had Amberwing Dragonflies around. But they were very skittish and very small, so I did not get any good images of them. When I was out looking in our garden for other Praying Mantises I noticed a female Blue Dasher on our Dogwood tree in the front yard. I finally had an interesting Dragonfly in our yard that was very tolerant of being photographed. It was on one of the Dogwood Bracts basically at almost eye level. I was using a 300mm f/4 lens with a 1.4x teleconverter on a Canon 7D. It would take off, fly around then return to the same spot on the Dogwood. I was able to shift my position to get backgrounds in the shade and in the sun. I also was able to try different f/stops and a few image stacks. The featured shot I was at f/11 for more depth of field (so I did not have to do a focus stack) with a sunlit background.
Shifted my position angle for a shaded dark background for a more dramatic look. Same f/11 exposure.
Blue Dasher Female – 300mm f/11, 1250 ISO (busy background)
Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly, angled for a cleaner background, 300mm, f11, Canon 7D
Blue Dasher Female, f/13 – busy background version
Blue Dasher Female – Cropped from below image – 9 image focus stack, 300mm f5/6, 300mm With 1.4X teleconverter, Canon 7D
Blue Dasher Female, 9 Image focus stack, Handheld, f/5.6, (for a smoother background), 300mm with 1.4x teleconverter
Female Blue Dasher, 300mm, f/ 5.6
Cropped version of above image for face detail
Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly, f/11 – 300mm w/ 1.4x teleconverter.
Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly, 300mm, f/5.6
Blue Dasher- female, 300mm f/11
photoartflight 
Tiny dancer! Great images, Reed!
Thanks Eliza! We in past few years at our condo usually had a lot of Dragonflies in our Yard. So it was disappointing we did not have any but Amberwings this year. At our old home we had an acre with a pond and lots of gardens so we had dragonflies all over! So it was fun to finally see the Blue Dasher in ouR yard!
Nice obelisks and the closeup too, Reed. Sadly, the first thing that comes to mind with the dogwood is what we see as the current virus shape.
Thanks Steve! Now that you mention the dogwood bract shape I can not stop seeing what you said about it! But maybe the Dasher is conquering it!😊
Wouldn’t it be great if they could just fly around eating the virus like bats do mosquitoes. 🙂
That would be Something Positive!
As usual, nice photos. Interesting to see how she lifts her back body almost straight up. I have never actually observed that myself.
Thanks Hans! That is a standard “obelisk” pose for some dragonflies or damselflies. They assume this position to prevent overheating on sunny days. The abdomen is raised minimizing the surface area exposed to the heat of the sun.
That explains, no heating problem were I live.
I love the way that you worked your subject, Reed, with all of the different settings and angles and backgrounds. I was also absolutely fascinated with the shape and texture of the dogwood bract, which is much more interesting than most of the places where I have seen a Blue Dasher perch. I am instinctively most drawn to the penultimate shot. I really like angle and composition that you chose and the deliberate shallow depth of field.
Thanks so much Mike! One of my favorite dragonflies! Mostly because there were so many at my old pond in the yard. They seemed to be more tolerant of photographers! Or maybe they just got used to me sticking a camera at them. It was fun to document them from nymph, teneral to adult! Thanks again!
Excellent series, Reed! Always nice when they return to the same spot!
Thanks Belinda! It is nice when they cooperate with you when photographing them!😊
Amazing captures, Reed, congrats! The pretty Dogwood bract is an added bonus. 🙂
Thanks Donna! They are fun to photograph! Especially if you just have to walk out your front door!