Not all newly emerged dragonflies make it. Many have deformed wings like this one. I’m not sure what causes it, but like a badly folded parachute, it spells disaster. Some days had more deformed wings than others. Maybe it’s temperature or that some got battered by water, but it was sad to see.
Specific Feedback Requested
I put the wingtips on the edges of the frame to emphasize the fact that this one will never fly. Does it work?
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Lumix G9
P/L 45mm f/2.8 macro
f/5 | 1/50 sec | ISO 2000
handheld resting on the dock steps
Lr processed for white & black points, texture & sharpness. Curves adjustment to lift mids. Not cropped.
Nice look at this poor critter, Kris and an interesting observation and backstory. Nice and sharp where it counts, and a pleasing bg. Not sure how I feel about the wings being clipped off a bit, but I understand your intentions.
Kris, I’m sure sorry to hear that so many have damaged wings. You captured a nice shot of this guy though. Details right where needed in the face and eyes. I am okay with the wing crop in this image. I crop in quite often with Dragonflies, in order to show off their eyes, which I am so impressed with. Sure sorry you are having to witness them being damaged/deformed.
An amazing capture with the limited DOF showing off the face so well. And a sad story. I wonder if it’s damage from pesticides or the like. There are so many chemicals that are flooding the environment that may be as bad as pesticides but get no attention. Do we really need all those scents in various “soaps” and detergents? I’m not chemically sensitive but I find most of them intolerable.
Thanks everyone! I feel sorry for them no matter the cause, but it might just be the way of it.
It might be a part of it, but judging by our mayfly hatchings I doubt it. We have hordes of them - like waves each species erupts from the water leaving rafts of dead and dying to collect on the dock. Seriously once as I walked down there I could smell the rot before I could see it. Millions of dead ones just up against my dock on the water’s surface. It’s what they do. They don’t have mouths or digestive organs…they live to mate and die. Some hatchings are so big they are mistaken for thunderstorms on radar. It’s a sign of water purity. Kinda icky, but generally good.
The wingtips placement works well for me. I concentrate on the impression of wobbly legs. It would be interesting to follow it and see if it could catch anything by jumping on it, but it looks like evolution will soon have its say.
Great head shot Kris. Photography captures
Things not often seen and this photo is a good example. The position and light will the background that is there worked out very well.
Thanks Mike & Dean - I was hesitant to show the damaged ones even though I photographed a few, but nature isn’t all sunshine and roses so…
I don’t think they are wired to hunt in any other way except on the wing, so no wings, no food, no life. Not that they live all that long anyway…days to weeks and usually less than a month.
