photoartflightSlaty Skimmer Wing Detail
Posted on July 17, 2017
We saw many types of Dragonflies while we were at the Davidson Mill Pond Park. Here are images of a Slaty Skimmer Dragonfly. The featured image shows the wing detail where the 4 wings attach to the Thorax. These dragonflies are usually a little under 2 inches long. This is 2 stacked images, focused on the head and then on the thorax. Combined in Photoshop for more depth of field. 300mm f/4 lens with a 1.6x Canon cropped body and 1.4x teleconverter (approx 672mm in full frame equivalence).
Same Dragonfly as above, three images, photographed at three different focus points along the Dragonfly. Head, thorax and tip of tail. Assembled in Photoshop for more sharpness on the dragonfly, but trying to keep the background softer since it was quite close behind the dragon.
Now I have to find something with feathers to post!
Female Monarch Butterfly
Posted on July 2, 2017
We went to the Davidsons Mill Park to look for dragonflies by the water. On Sundays the Butterfly House is open between 10 and 12 noon. So we decided to take a look. A lot of caterpillars munching their way through leaves and a few butterflies flying around. I usually like to photograph butterflies out in the fields but it was fun to take a look. Also outside the exhibit they have lots of plantings to attract butterflies. It was extremely hot and humid morning, so we only stayed for a few minutes and went back outside to see what we could find. To be able to get close to some of these small subjects, I used a 300mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter on a Canon 1.3 crop body, so it was about 546mm. So the backgrounds get “softer” and not distracting in the overall image.
Forest Tent Moth Caterpillar
Posted on June 29, 2017
While we were walking down the path at Plainsboro Preserve, I noticed a few of these colorful caterpillars. I had never seen one before, but thought it had a very colorful and interesting color scheme. The path was in the shade, and I was using a 300mm lens at f/4, ISO400, so I did not have enough depth of field to get it all in focus unless I raised my ISO or lowered my shutter speed, which was fairly low already being in the shade. So I concentrated on the head. Then I shot fairly straight to my subject caterpillar hoping to get more in focus.
Mating Dragonflies
Posted on June 27, 2017
These mating Lancet Clubtail Dragonflies landed on the path in front of me. I only got a couple of shots before they flew off. I wish the background was not so busy and distracting, But it was still interesting to see them land right in front of me.
Lancet Clubtail Dragonfly
Posted on June 24, 2017
We saw quite a few of these Lancet Clubtail Dragonflies at the Plainsboro Preserve during our walk. So I guess they like this area. Most were sunning along the path. After these 2, I stopped photographing them on the path because they all looked like the same Dragonfly. Plus their mostly clear wings just seemed transparent against the busy background of the path. They seemed to like the sun and warmth of the path so they were very prevalent along the path.
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Milkweed Bug Eggs On Leaf
Posted on June 17, 2017
When we were looking for dragonflies at the Davidson Mill Pond Park, I found these Milkweed Bug eggs on a plant next to a batch of Milkweed Plants in the fields. I thought they looked interesting, almost a formation of very tiny shiny eggs. I was using a Canon 300mm f/4 lens which has an extremely close focusing ability, which renders backgrounds nice and clean for close detail photos. And you do not have to get right on top of your subjects for closeup details. It is also fairly lightweight to carry around. If I need to get closer I can add extension tubes, which I usually do not need to use with this lens. It is one of Canon’s older telephoto lenses but still works well and it is fun to use and light to carry for long times.
Leaf Still Life -300mm
Bluet Damselfly – 300mm
Bluet Damselfly with Damaged Wing
Mushroom Still Life – 300mm
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