Amber Wings

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
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Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction

Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.

Questions to guide your feedback

What’s the first thing that draws your attention, and after that, how does your eye move through the image?

Other Information

Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.

Image Description

A Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) rests momentarily on a dry reed, its intricately veined wings catching the late light like stained glass. Common across much of the eastern U.S., these dragonflies are often seen perched high on tall stems, pivoting delicately with the breeze. This one allowed just enough time to work the angle and isolate it against the soft green background.

Technical Details

ISO 200, 1/500 s, f/3.9, 271mm,.
Post done in C1.

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
1 Like
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Those wings get me first…I think this is a type of Pennant, but unsure of the species. They are so flashy and visually arresting. The next thing I noticed was the lovely soft light that jsut bathes the scene. The bg is so nearly uniform that it has nothing to compete with our perching boy. Super job.

Ok…I just read your hidden commentary…Halloween Pennant! Nice. Agreed, they are fast. I managed to get about exactly 2 photos of a similar species a few years ago and then … off it went.

3

Very nice shot, Konrad. As @Kris_Smith has already said, he stands out nicely with that wonderfully smooth BG.

4

The eyes have it, followed by wingtip blur. Wonderful capture

5

Thank you! That shimmer is stunning, isn’t it. Looks great printer on a glossy metallic paper.

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Thank you for the feedback! Appreciate it. You should see it printed on glossy metallic: I ran off a print this morning and it’s gorgeous.

7

What a gorgeous image!! Yes, those gossamer wings!

I see this is your first post – and a most admirable one! Welcome to NPN! I look forward to seeing more of your work and your comments on others’ work.

1 Like
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Konrad: Welcome to NPN and thanks for a fine first post. Really nice subject and good work with your plane of focus management to get the entire body sharp. Great to have you aboard and looking forward to more of your work and critiques of other’s images. >=))>

1 Like
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Hi Konrad, Welcome to NPN and you chose a very photogenic dragonfly for your first post. This photo has nice sharpness with a perfect BG. This species will sometimes perch with its wings held vertically. A wonderful shot and I agree that the print will be awesome…Jim

1 Like
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Thanks Jim. Great to be here! Appreciate the feedback.

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Hey Bill! Thank you for the welcome and kind words. It’s been a great experience here so far.

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Welcome! Excellent image of the pennant!
Great colours, nice detail, and clean BG to set it off well.
Looking forward to your participation on NPN!