When people think of things to see at the Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge they usually think of the lighthouse, alligators, and birds. In the fall of the year butterfly viewing is quite popular.
Although very common on the refuge, most people don’t think about the dragonfly as a subject of observation or photography. This is partly due to the fact that the dragonfly seems to always be “darting” around quickly in the sky overhead and is difficult view through binoculars or with a camera.
Unlike butterflies the dragonfly does not sit quietly on flowers waiting for its picture to be taken. however it is often found on the end of vertical structures like dead plant stalks or even car antennas
I captured the following backlit image of a Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) on one of the St. Marks levee trails shortly before sunset.
(click to enlarge)
The time just after sunrise and just before sunset is referred to by photographers as the “Golden Hour” and is often the best time to take photographs.
In this particular case the dragonfly was in a location high enough to be backlit by the golden afternoon sunlight and the vegetation behind it was in the shadow. This combination makes the image look like it was taken against a dark backdrop.
I was using a 250mm telephoto which helped blur the background vegetation. Photographing dragonflies that are backlit makes the wing detail more visible.
The next time you are out with your camera try to get some photos of dragonflies. It is both challenging and rewarding.
Jim