Beasts are where you find them

Jul 6

With an early July heatwave approaching, I didn’t want to venture far afield in search of photo opportunities. Looking outside with a freshly brewed cappuccino in hand, I noticed a brilliant orange and especially persistent dragonfly darting back and forth over a small pond in the backyard, picking off small insects. I watched long enough to realize that it had a favorite perch at the edge of the pond where it invariably stopped to enjoy its snacks. With a tripod and Nikon Z8 camera body fitted with a Nikkor 105 mm macro lens, I set up shop about two feet away from the perch and waited for my subject to appear. It obliged me several times in different poses, in one case long enough to finish its meal while I took photos from less than a foot away! You see what you look for. Look for photographs.