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Tandem Flight


Tandem Flight
Photo Information
Copyright: Bente Feldballe (milloup) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 482 W: 40 N: 619] (1716)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-01
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron 28-300XR
Exposure: f/8, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Dragonflies in flight, World of Dragonflies, Art of Procreation [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-08-01 16:30
Viewed: 6401
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
These are Ruddy Darters Sympetrum sanguineum flying in tandem after the actual mating.
Once the mating is over, the male stays with the female still holding her by the head while she deposits her eggs. The different types of damselflies and dragonflies have different ways of depositing the eggs. Some females bore the eggs into the stem of water plants, whereas the sympetrums usually just drop them over an area of soggy ground near the water. The couple will bob up and down, twisting and turning in the air while the eggs are deposited. They seem to prefer rather confined spaces in between the vegetation, probably because they feel more secure there.
From a photographer's point of view this is, however, less ideal, because the numerous straws, plants etc make it more or less impossible for the camera's auto focus to work - it'll just zoom aimlessly back and forth, never knowing what to focus on. For that reason this photo was taken hand held and using manual focus.
If you look closely at the female's tail, you'll see a tiny whitish blob underneath, almost at the tip. Those are eggs that she's scattering over the area below.
Ruddy Darters are amongst the smallest of the "real dragonflies". They have a body length of 33-36 mm and a wingspan of 50-59 mm. In this species the legs are all black.
Treatment: Crop, brightness +5, contrast +10, saturation +10, USM and resize.
japie, nwoehnl, Jax, Jeppe, PDP, AndyB, Robbrown, carper, gerhardt, TAZ, mogens-j, JeanMichel, Verti, suleesia, Luc, septama has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Luc: Tandem flightmilloup 2 08-25 20:19
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-08-01 16:58]

Wow - how do you guys, oops sorry, gals, do this? Great capture with excellent DOF and detail

Incredible detail, Bente. I have never seen the like of it before, and I really appreciate your ability to capture and show this. You got stunning colors and textures in the two, and the DOF is pretty much ideal. Great notes, too. Very good.

  • Great 
  • Jax Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 77 W: 0 N: 150] (500)
  • [2004-08-01 17:28]

Amazing detail, colour, composition and dof spot on. Very informative note too. Well done.

  • Great 
  • Jeppe Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 36 W: 0 N: 33] (193)
  • [2004-08-01 18:18]

Wonderful capture of this kind of amazing flight - you must be very patient indeed - not a job for me I'm affraid ;-) thankds for sharing Bente - very fine work.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-08-01 18:23]

Bente, simply brilliant, very well done. It's beautiful.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2004-08-01 18:26]

A fantastic capture,absolutley wonderful.
Excellent detail and DoF.
Just amazing,very well done.

Very good high speed capture loads of detail revealed by this shot.Something to try I found worked was to ind an obtect at about the same distance as them and then when it sets focus lock it and shot in multyple image mode and pick the best ones and was the way i got my TE ones, which were no where near the quality of this pair. perfect accompanying notes too.

wauw, Great capture Bente,
Great shot, good composition, great colours, Yes I like it very much, very good job

Great capture.
Excellent detail and DOF
Very well done.

Now I have seen it all. This is quite a number you did Bente, the colours are breathtaking. The moment captured to perfection. The note perfect and informative. Salute! Thanx for this special posting.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2004-08-02 12:08]

Beautifull macro of this flying tandem ! Good composition and colors !

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 239 W: 20 N: 344] (972)
  • [2004-08-04 14:14]

Wonderful shot.
A great capture in flight!
Details, colors, and DOF are spot on.
I love it.

Excellent capture Bente. It for sure was a hard one to get. Very clear and sharp with lots of details. One can even see the eggs dropping out. Colours and dof are spot on and the composition is very good. Only thing is the little seen of the wings caused by the slow shutter.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1101 W: 95 N: 2610] (7555)
  • [2004-08-06 14:02]

Nice action & title here, Bente, also the ephemeral wings adds to the moment. I like this.

Hi, Bente; This one is very special, I guess very rare occasions to shoot such a scene. You did it very well, as a document to illustrate reproduction. It's also a photographic performance, in a natural environment. A really perfect shot!

  • Great 
  • Verti Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 14 W: 0 N: 12] (99)
  • [2004-09-17 8:56]

I've seen quite a few dragonflies today flying in tandem ... so now I know why.
Terrific capture; I like the blurriness of the wings and the way the legs are folded.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2150 W: 319 N: 4263] (16942)
  • [2004-12-16 18:45]

Bente, you do know how the get the action these guys are capable of.

Another great picture of a great moment.

stunning capture!! Incredible details and sharpness still!!! Superb work.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1835 W: 301 N: 4287] (14767)
  • [2005-08-25 12:00]
  • [+]

Congratulations, Bente. Paul told me about this photo. You had posted it before my arrival on TN.
A very difficult shot, IMHO.
Very well seen and well done. Nature photography at its best.
Thanks.

Excelent picture of tandem flight of symp.sanguineum.
Very sharp and nice close up; good details!
Harm Alberts

awesome, this is should be very fast and difficult capture, seems like two different kind of dragonflies were matting, nice moment and plentifull info, excellent

Fantastic shot. Good colours and fantastic subject!
Bye Tom

Hello Bente.

Excellent image, nice composition and colors.
Very good details.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

Amazing detail, colour, composition and dof spot on. Very informative note too. Well done.

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