Guidance please

[Schnauzer]

If you have the time and or inclination would you look at these and tell me what is good and bad about them and what do I need to do to improve them ? Except for the first two the wind was blowing a little . The little guys would be in the view finder then they would be six inches away .

http://aquatic-photography.com/gallery/files/7/7/8/_MG_5223-01.jpg

http://aquatic-photography.com/gallery/files/7/7/8/_MG_5228-01.jpg

http://aquatic-photography.com/gallery/files/7/7/8/_MG_5676-02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v666/Jag1989/IMG_5730-02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v666/Jag1989/IMG_5728-02.jpg

[phishphorphun]

Ron your getting pretty good as the closeup stuff. On these I think I would run them through shadow/highlight in CS2. All but number three here have a lot of hot areas due to a bright sun I suppose. I would try keeping most of the shadows and start at 50% highlights and move it up and down to see what gives the best results.

I'll let the mods check in and give you their advice.

Here's one that I did.

5% Shadows, 50% Highlights, USM at 50% and .05 Radius...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/phishphorphun/RonsDragonFly1copy.jpg

[hir0]

some of these are a bit overexposed. i think #3 is is exposed really well. also, i like the DOF on #3 #4 and #5. the first two have some distracting elements in the background that would be better oof IMO. but you did do a great job getting a lot of DOF on the subject. the last shot would look better if the eyes were more in focus also. i think these are a really good start. are you using flash? i know it sounds silly, but i've found that fill flash really helps even the exposures in harsh lighting.

[Ibn]

I think that these guys covered the exposure portion of it already.

Looks like a great start so far. What I find most distracting is the fact that the focus seems to be slightly off (focus seems to be either on the wings or adbomen; would prefer it on the eyes instead). Might want to get the lens to be perpendicular to the subject (take a step to the left on the first and last; a step to the right on the others).

BTW, do you shoot at ISO 400 by default?

[alanhill]

I like the last one best as a dragonfly portrait. It is a nice mature male darter in a typical hot sunshine pose. It is a little overexposed and it needs a touch more d.o.f. to sharpen the eye and the wonderful polygonal catchlight in it. Maybe you need centre-weighted metering for shots like this - I personally use it and I also always use a monopod so that I can shoot at 1/60 s or slower with my 150mm lens. I always use shutter-priority metering to make it easier to keep a nice slow shutter speed and get a small aperture and good d.o.f.
I do shake some, but the advantage of digital photography is that you can take several shots at no extra cost and throw away any that were shaken.

Alan

[Schnauzer]

Thanks everyone for the advice . I can use it .
I do use center-weighted metering Alan . Are you talking around f/16 or so depending upon light ? I think I really do need to pick up a monopod . I could also use it for the horse shows . If I remember right both you and Jay mentioned a monopod to me when I started the horse shows in the spring .
I have been wondering how you tell the males from the females .

[alanhill]

I have been wondering how you tell the males from the females .

In these Sympetrum species, which we call darters but which you call meadowhawks, they all emerge yellowish; then males turn red as they mature while females stay yellow. In all dragonfly and damselfly species the genitalia (at the end of the abdomen) are different - the males have claspers which hold the female's body, while females have ovipositors for laying their eggs.
For details of each species you need a book or a website such as the one here (http://mdds.umf.maine.edu/)
Happy hunting!

Alan