Dragonflies and damselflies are among the most rewarding summer wildlife subjects. They return to favoured perches, patrol short territories and reveal different identification features depending on age, sex and viewing angle.
Photograph the side of the thorax, the abdomen and the wing markings when possible. Those record-style frames can be more valuable for identification than a single dramatic head-on image.
Fieldcraft that works
- ✓Watch a patrolling dragonfly for several circuits; many return to the same perch.
- ✓Use a fast shutter for flight and a smaller aperture for perched side-on identification photographs.
- ✓Move parallel to the bank rather than directly towards the subject.
- ✓Include habitat in some frames to document where the sighting occurred.
Photograph responsibly
Keep clear of soft pond margins, emergent vegetation and freshly emerged insects. Never handle a dragonfly to force a pose, and avoid publishing precise sites for scarce species.
