# Widow Skimmer + Repost **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** macro-close-up\ **Created:** [July 4, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827 "2021-07-04T21:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/1 "2021-07-04T21:38:21Z")
![Widow Skimmer](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/d/9/d9203758d74323d63f943f186c03a06180d320c9.jpeg) A couple of days ago at my favorite dragonfly pond it was Widow Skimmer Day. ### Specific Feedback Requested All comments welcome! ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No Canon R5, 100-500 + 2X at 1000, f/14, 1/400, ISO 800. On a sturdy tripod with Wimberley gimbal head. On about the 4th try he sat still enough for me to get a usable focus stack, racking focus visually, in tiny increments in manual focus. Minimal LR adjustments, 5 shots assembled by hand in PS. Very minor BG cloning. Topaz DeNoise, hardly needed. Slight crop from both sides. ###### ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/2 "2021-07-05T00:05:06Z")
A beautiful shot, Diane. Wonderful details throughout the dragonfly, with a nice background. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Friel](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mike_friel/32/28003_2.png) [@Mike\_Friel](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mike_Friel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/3 "2021-07-05T01:13:34Z")
A lovely mix of colours, Diane, with the green stalks, white bands and see-through sections of the wings. It’s almost perfectly sharp - I just wonder why you used PS for the stacking and not Zerene.A beautiful dragonfly shot, with added chrysalis (?). ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Sparks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_sparks/32/63507_2.png) [@Allen\_Sparks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Sparks)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/4 "2021-07-05T02:58:24Z")
Hi Diane, terrific view of a gorgeous, showy ode. nice job on the stacking - the dragonfly looks sharp throughout. The bright green reed in the background I do find distracting. ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/5 "2021-07-05T16:04:05Z")
Thanks everyone! @Mike_Friel, Zerene can’t correct for the small twitches a dragonfly makes between the shots, as was the case here, so I did it by hand with masking layers. It’s easy if I got a good set. One back wingtip moved slightly as I focused on it. @Allen_Sparks, I fell into the trap of liking a BG element and failing to recognize that it competed with the subject. Thanks for giving me a nudge! I lowered saturation on it and restored the color on the right wing. I think it’s much improved. ![_49A0242-Edit-Edit-Edit](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/2/d/2de28e139c55d5ac17de73e8e9f2d4976a65b327.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Sparks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_sparks/32/63507_2.png) [@Allen\_Sparks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Sparks)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/6 "2021-07-05T18:53:14Z")
Hi Diane, yes the repost is an improvement to my eyes. Nice frame. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Leroy](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@David\_Leroy](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Leroy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/7 "2021-07-05T21:12:21Z")
Lovely Diane. I really like the colors and all the details. It has a nice soft feel to the photo even tho tack sharp. Really good job getting the shadows as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/8 "2021-07-07T15:48:26Z")
Diane: Great use of your long lens rig and a fine processing effort. I like the original and the repost is a nice enhancement. Top notch in every way. \>=))\> ---
**Author:** ![Kris\_Smith](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/kris_smith/32/59826_2.png) [@Kris\_Smith](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Kris_Smith)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/9 "2021-07-07T15:57:39Z")
The re-work is really terrific. I especially like the shadows on the reed made by the wings. Such a beautiful job. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Fritz\_Rumpf](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/j_fritz_rumpf/32/25805_2.png) [@J\_Fritz\_Rumpf](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/J_Fritz_Rumpf)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/widow-skimmer-repost/22827/10 "2021-07-07T20:05:15Z")
Beautiful image, nicely processed. Perfect focus stack.