The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
Another damselfly species found living near turbid, fast flowing rivers and it is one of the most colorful species of damselflies in North America. I have some shots with the wings more angled up, but could not get the eyes as sharp as possible.
Feedback Requested
How do uou like this comp? Its not as dynamic as I would like, but sneaking up on these guys was challenging to say the least.
Technical Details
Camera: Z9
Lens: 105mm + 1.4x TC
Focal length: 150
Shutter speed: 1/200sec
Aperture:f10
ISO: 320
Flash: at -.7ev for fill
This is so good Jim! I can appreciate the difficulty in sneaking up on these critters.
The inclusion of the attractive grass head is wonderful…not just in the shape and form but the beautiful diagonal with the perched damselfly. The colours of the damselfly are lovely and the detail superb. I like his fuzzy head.
Jim, this is a fine catch on a Rubyspot. I find the subtlity in all parts, damsel, perch and background, working very well together. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the somewhat orange color at the top of the thorax. Is this possibly an immature?
Jim: I got a pretty strong -meter spike from this one. A terrific combination of main subject, perch and BG all come together to make this a 10+ in my book. Exceptional shot. >=))>
Thank you @Dennis_Plank , @Mark_Seaver , @Glenys_Passier , @Shirley_Freeman , and @Bill_Fach for the comments and critiques and also thank the @NPN_Editor for the EP. @Mark_Seaver this population has a much more copper colored thorax than some of the others that I have found along other rivers. It could be the age of the individual as well. The individuals of this species found along the Huron river are more green and have deep indigo blue legs for example.
Excellent image, Jim. Very strong composition and the soft background is superb. That Z 105 MC is a real keeper. How do you like the sharpness with the 1.4 TC?
Thank you for the comments and critique @David_Bostock . The lens is the non Z version of the 105mm f2.8 and is used with the ftz adapter. The reason that I use this over the 200mm f4 is because of the autofocus. I can maintain better focus with AF set to on for larger insects like this damselfly. I have used the 1.4 and 2.0 TC,s with this lens and the image quality is quite good to excellent. The optics for the Z version are the same as this particular lens and I expect comparable excellent image quality from the Z version. Now if Nikon made a Z version of the 200mm f4 Micro, I would purchase it for sure. My 200 f4 Micro is the best macro that I own and unfortunately can only be used as a manual focusing lens with the Z9. It produces stellar backgrounds and is tack sharp. Having a tripod collar is also a luxury perfect for tripod work when doing lower photography. …Jim
Jim I see nothing to pick on with this image. I love the composition, the bokeh, the seed head the damselfly is perched on, as well as the great detail, color, and sharpness of the damselfly. Fantastic work, nothing else to add.
When I enlarged the image, the fine detail truly came out. This is a very sharp and crisp image with such fine detail in the Ruby spot, and the way it is clinging to the grass is very cool. Stunning colors! the red in the body stands out against the bokeh background. There is so much detail in the wings, tail and legs.
-meter spike from this one. A terrific combination of main subject, perch and BG all come together to make this a 10+ in my book. Exceptional shot. >=))>