Originally posted on 25 August 2012
I am re-posting this image for three primary reasons.
- Today’s Halloween and what could be more appropriate for an insect with Halloween in its name?
- This is one of my absolutely favorite images and many of you may not have seen it yet (and I like the text too).
- I’m a bit of a contrarian and want to post something beautiful today, rather than the creepy images that others may choose to post.
Happy Halloween!
Text of original post:
I remember my excitement the first time I saw a really cool dragonfly a few months ago that turned out to be a Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina). He had a very distinctive look with brown spots and stripes on his wings and orange veins. That first time I was happy to get any shot of the dragonfly.
Today I think that I encountered a Halloween Pennant for a second time. I was still very much taken by his looks but I had the presence of mind to circle about a bit, trying to get a good angle for the shot. The shot below is the one that I like the best of those that I took.
As I think about it, I go through this cycle a lot. I’m so in awe and wonder when I encounter something new that photography is not my first priority. Instead I am living the experience. Maybe my photos the first time are not the best, but that’s ok for me, because living my life is more important than merely recording it in my photos. That may be why I like to go back to places a second time and then focus a bit more on getting good shots.
- Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Click for higher resolution view)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Amazing shot!
Thanks. It’s especially nice that it’s a kind of dragonfly that I don’t see often (unlike the Blue Dasher that I saw regularly all summer).
Gorgeous photo with a nice contrarian twist.
Thanks for the great picture. I sure miss dragonflies.
Thanks. I saw a dragonfly a week or so ago, but suspect that it may be the last one of the season for me. I definitely miss them too.