Yesterday I made a trip to Jackson Miles Abbot Wetlands Refuge at Fort Belvoir, a local military base, and was thrilled to see a Banded Pennant dragonfly (Celethemis fasciata), a cool-looking species that fellow photographer Walter Sanford spotted at that location on 24 July. (Check out his posting of that encounter to see some more shots of a Banded Pennant.)
Like other pennant dragonflies, such as the Halloween Pennant that I photographed earlier this summer, the Banded Pennant likes to perch at the very tip of tall grass and other vegetation. A pennant dragonfly is sometimes easier to spot than those species that perch lower, but the slightest breeze sets the dragonfly in motion and makes it more difficult to photograph.
I spotted only a single Banded Pennant yesterday, but managed to get a number of shots before it flew away, though most of them were from pretty much the same angle. As I looked over the images, I couldn’t decide which was the most effective way to present the dragonfly. Was it better to maximize the size of the dragonfly by cropping it a square or to emphasize the height of the vegetation by using a vertical format?
In the end, I didn’t choose, but instead presented a shot in each of the two formats? Do you have a preference for one over the other?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wow, amazing shots, Mike. I’ve never seen this dragonfly before and probably never will again. If I had to ‘choose’ which shot I prefer, I guess the second one would be my pick. Only due to the light….Both are terrific. Thank You!
Thanks for providing your views. I should have mentioned that I processed them a little differently, which accounts for the slightly different look (in addition to the cropping). I had never seen one of these before, but when my friend posted a photo of one, I decided to go to the same pond and see if I could find one–and I did.
It’s such a thrill to get a shot like this, isn’t it? Once in a lifetime, perhaps?
I like them both. I haven’t seen any pennants yet this summer. This one’s a beauty.
I’m glad to see you were rewarded for stepping out of your comfort zone. Did you see any Blue-fronted Dancer damselflies? Also, did you notice a BIG dragonfly (with bright green eyes and yellow marks on its abdomen) patrolling around and around the perimeter of the pond? I think it may be a Royal River Cruiser (Macromia taeniolata). Before you ask, RRCs are found at both rivers and ponds.
I’ll keep my eyes open for other odonates if I make another trek there, but didn’t notice any damselflies at all or big patrolling dragonflies when I was there this time.
I too appreciated both shots and this is my first time to see this dragonfly; I always appreciate being introduced to new critters.
Thanks, Charlie. I’m always excited to see new creatures and love being able to share my excitement and photos with others.