Southern hawker in flight.
Since my childhood I have been fascinated by dragonflies, the ‘jewels of the sky’.
I can see why they were so coveted in the Art Nouveau movement that was inspired by the natural world.Over the past few years I have been catching dragonflies on camera. The challenge has taught me much about their behaviour. I have also researched them further, discovering how truly incredible these prehistoric creatures are.
One summer I set myself a challenge to catch an image of one in flight.
To start with I was getting some very mediocre and often poor results trying out several techniques, none particularly successful. On this day I took a different approach. I sat on the edge of a large near dried out pond where a Southern Hawker was patrolling his territory. I observed his routine flight pattern and in between his visits I set up my position. Ensuring I had the sandy verge of the pond as a blank background I fitted a sunfire reflector to my tripod aiming the reflector across the dragonfly’s flight path. Sitting low, I set up my focal point in anticipation of his return. A few laps later and he flew into my aim and I shot a dozen fast frames - here is the result.I have been asked whether he is plastic, on a stick or pinned to a background!
Study, some planning and a degree of patience -
mission accomplished.