Banded Demoiselle Selection

[Stan]

I spent the morning at our local river, which is a good place for damselflies and in particular banded demoiselles. The only problem is they tend to favour the stinging nettle leaves as a perch which makes it difficult to get decent backgrounds and you run the risk of being stung. anyway here's a selection, all handheld using the 300f4.
WDYT

Stan

First two are the male




The female


These two I think are also the female but immature

[mammarazzi]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Superb Stan, once again, I cannot pick a favourite as they are all fantastic - colours are wonderful it is a real pleasure to look at your work.

Joanne

[Woolley]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Stunning images, #2 is marginally my favourite.

[DeeGee]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

All great shots. Nettles or not, number one is my fave, beautiful colours.

[vdzande]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

My god Stan, that's amazing. If you'll allow me, I have a newbie question: I try to experiment with macro using a 5x close-up lens/filter, fitted on my lens (15-85 or 50-250). I find it very difficult to get a sharp picture, because the DOF is so short. I get out of focus with the littlest of movement. Is this because I don't use a regular macro lens, or is this also a 'challenge' with macro lenses (and macro photography as such)? In that case, I'm even more amazed by your beautiful pictures. :)

[Stan]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Thanks very much for your kind comments
No 1 is the best for me as he is looking slightly towards me so you can see both eyes. The second one has the far better background but he is looking slightly away

I try to experiment with macro using a 5x close-up lens/filter, fitted on my lens (15-85 or 50-250). I find it very difficult to get a sharp picture, because the DOF is so short. I get out of focus with the littlest of movement. Is this because I don't use a regular macro lens, or is this also a 'challenge' with macro lenses (and macro photography as such)?

With macro photography no matter which approach you use the dof is always very narrow which is why a lot of people use manual rather than auto focus. I'm no good with that so i always auto focus, on the eye and if the focus goes off, the trick is to rock gently back and forth and press the shutter at just the right time - does take a bit of practice

Stan

[Muscat]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

As usua a nice set Stan, my favourites are #1 for the reasons you have given and #5 as I just like the real in close feel that gives.

Ian

[Stan]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Cheers Ian

Stan

[John Baker]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Great work Stan, while the combination is a bit of a handful, you get far kinder DoF with a long lens, which allows you to get away from the traditional side views, plus wonderful backgrounds – must post some of my recent attempts…

[malkie9]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Your shots have enspired me to chase the damsels a bit more to try emulate the standard you have set.

Never seem such beutiful damsels round our way just the Blue Tailed versions.

Many thanks for the PM on PS settings.

[Stan]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Thanks John and Malkie

Many thanks for the PM on PS settings.

no problem

while the combination is a bit of a handful, you get far kinder DoF with a long lens,

whilst heavier than a standard macro, the weight is no real problem for me as the 300 and the 1.4x are on the camera 90% of the time for general wildlife shots

Stan

[vdzande]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Thanks very much for your kind comments
No 1 is the best for me as he is looking slightly towards me so you can see both eyes. The second one has the far better background but he is looking slightly away

With macro photography no matter which approach you use the dof is always very narrow which is why a lot of people use manual rather than auto focus. I'm no good with that so i always auto focus, on the eye and if the focus goes off, the trick is to rock gently back and forth and press the shutter at just the right time - does take a bit of practice

Stan

Thanks Stan. Your photos make me want to practice more.

[lesbutler]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Lovely pictures. Saw my first Banded Demoiselle last month and they are very beautiful, and not easy to get close to.

[Stan]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

cheers Les

There are quite a few of them at this location but do tend to flit about a lot like most damsels so getting the right shot is often down to a bit of luck

Stan

[lesbutler]

Re: Banded Demoiselle Selection

Yep Stan, they do flit about a lot. My usual haunts have no slow running streams (which I think they like) so I had never seen one till I visited the river Roding in Essex. I couldn't get anywhere near them, so went back next time armed with my 70-300mm. There were probably a couple of hundred males and about a third that females in one small stretch of the river. I was really struck by their beauty, both sexes, and their butterfly-like flight.