Takže pár fotek ze dneška:

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Bohužel, maje jiné povinnosti nemohl jsem se dnes věnovat jejich focení, tak recykluju jednu handicapovanou z loňska.

Tady je – autentické foto:

Botanická zahrada Na Slupi 7.11.2011

1. Intro + Easiest species to start with (Hawkers I.)
2. Hawkers continue  – Part II. (previous part)
3. Other Dragonflies (Goldenrings, Emeralds, Chasers, Darters and Skimmers) – Part III. (this part)
4. Damselflies (Zygopetra) – Part IV.
5. General hints and technicalities (camera settings, equipment etc.) – Part V. (the last one to come)

This part about Damselflies’ DIFs is going to be rather short, as there is not too much to advice.  Taking flying damsels is – IMHO – a purely unpredictable task (if you are not Ghislain Simard who does magic with a set of high-speed flashes using laserframes as automated triggering system). Of course, the main reason is obvious: damselflies usually stay or sit in a vegetation, and when startled, they rather seek  shelter than fly around.  Above that, if they already happen to fly, their flight is highly erratic (though very determined in terms of an intended direction). If they decide to go over open water, they very often fly very low just above the water surface, which is not much convinient for DIFs either. Perhaps Demoisslles (Calopteryx) could be sometime  easier because of theirs display flights which they perform on a spot. However  I have not succeeded  neither in this case myslef but I recommend to visit, for example,  webpages of Roman Litovčenko who has done a fabulous serie of demoiselles’ DIFs.

Here, I can present just vere few moreless acceptable shots of damselflies in flight. Well, the Sympecma being  rather less then more acctetable, but I do not present  an exhibition here. Both Sympecma and Erythromma belong to species which readily fly over open water,  often sit on solitery plants or sticks. And they somtime keep caoming back to their perches so one can wait for a shot of returning dragon – the Sympecma shot is an exmaple of this. All my damselflies’ photos are (so far) hand-focused, because of  a) tiny body which is difficult to aim on and b) often close BG the use of AF is virtually impossible.  If there is  a camera (perhaps new Canon EOS 1DX?) which can follow a particular colour (eg. blue), then AF may work as it could catch the blue damsels against grey or green BG.

I’ve also realized that I’ve forgot to include clubtails (Gomphids) in previous chapters. However, I do not have any decent DIF of any gomphid yet, so nothing to show. Of course, I did some trials but no one can go on a web. Nevertheless, so far the only “close to good ones” were shots of Green Snaketails (O. cecilia) when approaching a favourite perch. Otherwise they just fly fast along river banks which makes any other attemps quite difficult.

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DRAGONFLY

Florian, Douglas

I am the dragon,
The demon of skies.
Behold my bold
Enormous eyes.

I sweep

I swoop

I terrorize.

For lunch  I munch
On flies and bees.
Mosquitoes with
My feet I seize.
I am the dragon:
Down  on your  knees!

Insectlopedia

The Dragonfly