Minimalism–part II

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Minimalism–part II

August 18, 2013 by Mike Powell

As I noted in an earlier posting today, some of my favorite images are almost minimalist in their approach. This recent image of a male Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) fits into that category.

Once again, the composition is simple, the color palette is fairly limited, and there is a good amount of negative space. The brown-colored background is the water in one of the areas of my local marshland park.

I like the position of the dragonfly—I think he was trying to cool off on a hot day by raising his abdomen—and the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the dragonfly, because it is the most colorful and the most sharply-focused object in the photo.

This image reminds me a little of a painting in which the artist has arranged the elements to make a pleasing composition. In this case, though, nature did the arranging.

Posted in Art, Dragonflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Blue Dasher, Blue Dasher dragonfly, Canon 50D, dragonfly, Huntley Meadows Park, Pachydiplax longipennis, Sigma 135 | 16 Comments

16 Responses

on August 18, 2013 at 7:10 pm | Reply Mjollnir

Definitely an effective image 😀
- on August 18, 2013 at 7:12 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. In many cases I try to get super close to the subject. In a composition like this, I am happy to pull back a little and include more of the environment (but not too much).
on August 18, 2013 at 7:28 pm | Reply compostingwords

What a fun shot! He looks like he is doing a hand stand. 🙂
- on August 18, 2013 at 7:32 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. I love the colors of the Blue Dasher. In my experience, the dragonfly are incredibly acrobatic, capable of putting on their own Cirque du Soleil productions.
on August 18, 2013 at 7:41 pm | Reply acuriousgal

Well done, Mike!!!
on August 18, 2013 at 7:49 pm | Reply lylekrahn

Well photographed,well described.
- on August 18, 2013 at 8:28 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Lyle. This is the kind of image that I like both technically and artistically.
on August 18, 2013 at 10:23 pm | Reply Another Perspective Photography

The bokeh in the background does work well as one solid soft beige!
- on August 19, 2013 at 5:15 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. The solid background might be a little prettier if if were a different color, but you go with what you get.
on August 19, 2013 at 3:00 am | Reply Green Cathedral of South Africa

Reblogged this on My Choice and commented:
Looks like a circus act. Keeping balance. Mike Powell calls it ‘minimalism’ but photographs like these demands a maximalism on focus of the photographer. 😉
on August 19, 2013 at 6:35 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

I like it!
on August 19, 2013 at 9:15 am | Reply Ed

Excellent pic, is it me or is it a pain in the butt to get dragonflies eyes in focus, I can never do it..
- on August 19, 2013 at 9:19 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. It’s not you, Ed. I too have trouble getting the eyes in focus. It’s pretty amazing when you can, though, because you can see a whole lot of tiny facets in the eyes (dragonfly eyes have amazing capabilities).
  - on August 19, 2013 at 9:21 am Ed
    
    The problem is getting close enough to use my tube extenders..:-)
on August 19, 2013 at 9:44 am | Reply afrenchgarden

Beautiful composition.
- on August 19, 2013 at 10:14 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. This was a case for me when the composition element was almost as important as the subject.