Early this summer, the opportunity to get some close up photographs of dragonflies presented itself and fortunately I had the camera along. This first one was quite a surprise as I was at the edge of a lake photographing the occasional duck but really wanting to take pictures of a pair of beavers that frequented the area. At one point I was casually looking around when I saw a dragonfly just hanging on a tree motionless. Further inspection showed it had just emerged from it water insect body transformed into a flying insect. If you look closely you can kind of make out the shell which it had previously hosted.
Dragonflies are unable to take flight for some time after emerging from the water as they need time for the wings to expand and dry which is why this particular one was still for awhile. If I had noticed it climbing up the tree initially there may have been some interesting pictures of it’s emergence and change of form. Something to look for in the future.
After some time had passed it unfolding the new wings in an effort to continue drying them in preparation for it’s first flight. Thankfully there wasn’t much else happening so I was able to practice my photography with close ups trying different lenses to see what I like best and which angles seem to be more interesting. The sun was illuminating the dragonfly quite brightly so light was not an issue making it a little easier. I’m sure this insect was wondering at which point I was going to cause it harm believing everything I was doing was in preparation of a meal. Must have been a huge relief when I left as there wasn’t anything the dragonfly could do except walk a little on the tree.
A short time later there was another opportunity with a dragonfly clinging to one of the orchids decorating my front door. At first I just admired it waiting for it to take flight on it’s pursuit of dinner. After a few minutes I decided to fetch the camera and once again practice dragonfly photography especially after noticing some of the beautiful colors in the abdomen which are more visible in the large picture at the top. This insect also allowed me several minutes of picture taking and then decided it was time to move on before something undesirable happened. In the upper Midwest it is a very unlikely situation to see a dragonfly enjoying the bloom of a moth orchid (phaleanopsis) which are tropical plants.
