Pooped pilot

Before new dragonflies are fully hardened, they fly slowly and not very far. They poop out and stick to where they land. I get them out of the lawn so they won’t be accidentally stepped on by me or my husband. I put this one on a log and voila…instant portrait. It was just after the sun went behind the trees so was a little dim. Should have grabbed the tripod, but I didn’t. This one is a Cobra clubtail I believe. The orange speck is a mite.

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Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Lumix G9
P/L 100-400mm f/4-6.3 lens @ 400mm
f/6.3 | 1/160 sec | ISO 1000
Handheld in a deep squat w/elbows on knees

Lr processed for a bit of a crop, some exposure adjustment, clarity & contrast. Ps for some noise reduction & sharpening using masks on a couple of Smart Object layers.

@the.wire.smith
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That is very thoughtful of you to pick them up out of the grass to avoid them being stepped on. You saved him, so he owed you a pose. Looks like you did a pretty good job hold that 400 mm lens at 1/160. The three quarter view of him works nice. Was his eyes sectional, like I see many of the DF? These appear smooth. Just wondering if that is something that hasn’t finished morphing.

Thanks @Shirley_Freeman - I’m getting a lot of practice with that lens.

I can’t stand to see them suffer, but yesterday wasn’t a banner day. I don’t know why, but the number of them with wing deformations was noticeably higher than other days. Maybe it’s the temperature when they emerge? I don’t know, but many were doomed and have probably died unmolested or been eaten by now. It’s so sad in a way that they go though the trouble and effort for nothing. Then there’s the ones that get trapped in spider webs. You have to be super careful if you remove one so not to crush or twist the wings. It’s crazy. But I did actually get one flying yesterday - the second pair of wings was stuck and I gently unstuck them. It kept trying to get away from me and waved its legs menacingly (so cute!), but it worked and off it flew.

Anyway…to answer your question - yes, their eyes are compound but each lens is tiny and they have to harden like everything else. Plus the light was very soft and not directional so it’s hard to see.

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Good job focusing and lovely colors. Interesting bit of info. I did not know any of that. Thks.

Wow! You live in a Dragonfly Kingdom! That’s so neat you get to see them when they first come from the water. That’s sad that it sounds like so many aren’t making it this year. This one is beautiful! I’m sure he was glad to be helped by you and the one from the spider’s web too!