Photographing dragonflies

Photographing dragonflies

Equipment
For dragonfly photography you have two basic elements. A good camera and good lenses. The SLR camera is best used with two interchangeable lenses: the essential macro and a telephoto lens for the larger dragonflies you can not shoot close. The SLR's are more institutions and you'll soon be shooting. A libel which is not forever remain in place down.

Weather
Only in sunny weather they come to light. Preferably wind again in connection with the shooting motionless.

Location
In the vicinity of water. That does not mean you always should look directly at the shore. On Waarneming.nl * you can see where some dragonflies are seen.

Hunting
Care, if possible, for a good background. This means that a free space behind the bubble and not a bush oid Ensure also the backdrop for so much depth as "dull" as possible.

Take the time
First make sure that the dragonfly in the picture is good and if necessary make dozens of photos. You can choose out the best home. At a blurring got nothing. Take away also always some one photo or a photo as the dragonfly is still not well. If the dragonfly fly home then you still see what it was libel.

Note the position of the Sun
The best exposure you get when the sun angle is behind you. The dragonfly is then well exposed (no backlight), but you just do not sit in your own shadow. Before you approach the bubble, it is wise, whether in the right line between libel and Sun to stand and then the dragonfly to benaderen.Let that your shadow does not fall back on the bubble, because then the dragonfly flies away.

Approach the dragonfly slowly
Are you closer to try successively lower levels than the dragonfly to be. This dragonfly is smaller for you.

Photograph the dragonfly from different directions and details. This makes it easier to identify the dragonfly. Make sure you perpendicular to the bubble state. This all parts scherp.Een small aperture (high number) increases the probability that all parts sharp zijn.Bedenk in mind that the background is also more visible. So here you have to choose yourself. And, hold the camera steady. Moving from macro photography, blur. Try at least to get the eyes sharp. Most people move because the eye automatically toe.Ditzelfde includes the photography of birds. Besides low ISO value gives less noise.

I myself am an opponent of a dragonfly to vangen.Dat is really not necessary.

Try to make a picture about the behavior of the dragonfly: mating, eating, eggs, or shooting off the dragonfly with its environment (high aperture number).

The main focus

* Calm, free background;
* Small aperture (high number), unless quiet background lacking;
* Vertical shooting, that is the key to the whole dragonfly hone.
Good exposure * (look at your screen after the first picture);
* ISO as low as possible.


Finally, two examples
Below two examples of the Darter. One with a small aperture (high number) and one with the largest aperture on my lens (Canon 100 mm macro).

In a small aperture you have more depth on the bubble, but you also see more of the background. Addition
you have a low shutter speed. A steady hand is needed.




With a full aperture (F2, 8) is the shutter speed, so less likely to exercise and you get a great dull background. Chances are however that you libel not equally sharp.


Success in shooting!