[Paleo Pete]

I've been thinking about this one for a while, finally decided OK go for it...I just thought birds in flight were tough...then I tried dragonflies...but I finally figured out how to improve my chances. More on that later, first a couple of the results...

First one for this year...



And a couple from last summer.







---------- Post added 04-10-2015 at 09:16 PM ----------

OK so how do you get shots of dragonflies in the air???

First try to avoid a lot of green in the background. I won't pass up a shot, but I try not to get heavy trees in the background.

Pick up the ISO to get good shutter speed, I shoot at ISO200 when possible but I'll go to ISO 400 to get higher shutter speeds without a second thought.

Pick a good spot. Here's the key. Watch them. Now and then you'll find a dragonfly patrolling a particular area, often above a puddle. He'll often hover for a few seconds in one place. That's your chance. While zipping by, yeah you might get lucky. When he hovers in one spot you might have time to get two shots if you're lucky,.

I don't use autofocus, all my lenses are manual, I tried catch in focus, it didn't seem to help a lot. It works with manual lenses, but didn't improve my chances much.

I like a lens in the 135mm range. 50mm is too wide, anything over 3 feet or so and the dragonfly is a speck. 200mm is too tight, can't get them in the viewfinder or keep them there. I'd like to try 100mm and 150mm, but don't have either. The `135mm seems to do really well, if I find a spot where one is "patrolling" I move in slow and wait. If he leaves, hang around, he'll come back in a couple of minutes. Watch for him to hover and be ready.

[jacamar]

Great shots - that's quite a challenge, especially using manual. I have tried dragonflies in flight and failed miserably, though I have had some luck with hummingbirds and once with a sphinx moth. I'll try applying your advice in the dog days of summer when the birds aren't so active!.

[eenymac]

All the good(ish) in-flight Dragonfly shots I have were taken with the Sigma 50-500mm. Heavy and a strain on the wrists after a while focuses fast and works well.

I also noticed while sitting watching them that many will fly over their territory following a set pattern and pausing at certain points, so it becomes a bit easier to predict where they will briefly pause and have the camera up and ready. Good fun watching them and trying though.

[Paleo Pete]

That's what I was getting at, they tend to stop and hover now and then, and sometimes in the same spots. That's when you try for a shot. I think I Have some more, will have to look around a little later. Hope to see some good looking shots from some other people too, I know some of the folks here can do it...

[ramseybuckeye]

Those are great Billy, I've tried unsuccessfully a few times, it's even hard to shoot them standing still. But I'll keep trying.

[Paleo Pete]

Cool, I hope to see some shots start showing up, warm weather is here and they're coming out. I missed a couple yesterday, I had several in the yard but all flying way too erratic...

[timb64]

The composition is pretty shoddy but this is the best I could do once my 55-300 had finished hunting(my eyesight's not up to MF with any accuracy!)


Bali Nov 2015 98 by Tim Bennett, on Flickr

[Paleo Pete]

Not bad at all.

When shooting these guys flying I don't worry about composition, just keeping them in the viewfinder is a challenge. I grab whatever I can get. Focus is hit and miss, my eyes ain't great either. But all I have is manual lenses so I just keep trying. The best way I've found is to try and find one that hovers now and then, that's when I try and get a picture. I might have a couple of seconds to focus. I still miss a lot...

Never expected this thread to be brought back to life, I only got a couple of decent shots this year, won't get another chance for 3 or 4 months. It'll probably die a slow death...

[timb64]

Thanks Pete,just discovered this particular Forum and posting the odd picture where I have something appropriate.

[Paleo Pete]

Boy did I have to dig for this thread...

Finally got a couple more flying dragonfly shots int he past couple of days, haven't been able to get much at all this year. We had some rain htat always leaves a couple of inches on the road, and a couple of dragonflies were nice enough to hover a little now and then so I could snap a few pictures...