Usually we have a few different types of Dragonflies in our yard. But this Summer we have only had Amberwing Dragonflies around. But they were very skittish and very small, so I did not get any good images of them. When I was out looking in our garden for other Praying Mantises  I noticed a female Blue Dasher on our Dogwood tree in the front yard. I finally had an interesting Dragonfly in our yard that was very tolerant of being photographed. It was on one of the Dogwood Bracts basically at almost eye level. I was using a 300mm f/4 lens with a 1.4x teleconverter on a Canon 7D. It would take off, fly around then return to the same spot on the Dogwood. I was able to shift my position to get backgrounds in the shade and in the sun. I also was able to try different f/stops and a few image stacks. The featured shot I was at f/11 for more depth of field (so I did not have to do a focus stack) with a sunlit background.

Shifted my position angle for a shaded dark background for a more dramatic look. Same f/11 exposure.

Blue Dasher Female – 300mm f/11, 1250 ISO (busy background)

Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly, angled for a cleaner background, 300mm, f11, Canon 7D

Blue Dasher Female, f/13 – busy background version

Blue Dasher Female – Cropped from below image – 9 image focus stack, 300mm f5/6, 300mm With 1.4X teleconverter, Canon 7D

Blue Dasher Female, 9 Image focus stack, Handheld, f/5.6, (for a smoother background), 300mm with 1.4x teleconverter

Female Blue Dasher, 300mm, f/ 5.6

Cropped version of above image for face detail

Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly, f/11 – 300mm w/ 1.4x teleconverter.

Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly,  300mm, f/5.6

Blue Dasher- female, 300mm f/11