[REVIEW] - Damselflies

Been having lots of fun recently down by the river near our house. Its been such great weather recently and whenever I'm not revising (cough) I'm down there.

So far I think I have seen 3 types of damselflies, and a lot of the fun comes from trying to identify them.

Here are spme of my favorites. Im still trying to get the hang of macro photography, and Im interested to see what sort of compostion works best.

Class: Insecta (Insects)
Order: Odonata (Dragonflies/Damselflies)
Suborder: Zygoptera (Damselflies)

http://photos17.flickr.com/21253143_93ddb68177_o.jpg
Calopterygidae
Calopteryx splendens
(Banded Demoiselle)
Female

http://photos15.flickr.com/21253142_0471f4cb65_o.jpg
Coenagrionidae
Coenagrion puella
(Azure Damselfly)
Blue Male / Green Female

http://photos17.flickr.com/21250253_fefbfda0eb_o.jpg
Coenagrionidae
Enallagma cyathigerum
(Common Blue Damselfly)
Male

http://photos16.flickr.com/21253140_cacda35b4d_o.jpg
Calopterygidae
Calopteryx splendens
(Banded Demoiselle)
Male

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38503216@N00/sets/494671/

Amazing photos ct! What camera/lens are you using?

I see from your photoblog that it's a Digital Rebel, but that can't be the bog standard lens can it!?

Amazing macros.

We call them dragonflies in the states.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robbmcaulay

I see from your photoblog that it's a Digital Rebel, but that can't be the bog standard lens can it!?

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No you are quite right. They are taken with my dad's tamron 90mm Macro. Im hopefully going to purchase the 100mm canon macro when I visit New York in a bit, the extra 10mm should prove useful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by admedia

We call them dragonflies in the states.

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hehe. I don't think you do ;). Dragonflies and damselflies are sub-orders of the order Odonata.

"Odonata is divided into 3 Suborders; the Zygoptera or Damselflies which can fold their wings over their abdomen, the Anisoptera or Dragonflies which can't, and thus hold their wings straight out from their thorax, and the Anisozygoptera an ancient suborder possible once containing the seeds of both the other 2 more modern suborders but now containing only two species from Japan."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ctranter

when I visit New York

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Really? Excellent! Your first time? Me and my girlfriend went late last April...

Photos

very nice stuff, that last one is my favorite.

Wow!! ctranter those are some really great photos.

Hope you have fun on your trip to The Big Apple. When do you go?

These are pretty awesome pictures. I would say the middle two probably have some focusing issues. Need a larger DOF i suppose. The second one is crazy looking. It looks to me like there is one about to eat the other or something. Good work.

Thanks everyone.

Milo: I agree it would have been nice to have got the male in focus on the second one, but macro photography, certainly without a tripod and macro flash, just doesnt give the depth of field required. Oh and I suppose it is a little crazy looking, they are making baby damselflies ;).

Rob: Some nice photos there, looks like you had a good time. I've been before a few times, but there is so much to see.... That and cheap lenses :D.

EVP: I'm going in two weeks time, should be good!