Baby’s got blue eyes

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Baby’s got blue eyes

September 13, 2015 by Mike Powell

“Blue eyes
Baby’s got blue eyes
Like a deep blue sea
On a blue blue day”

Somehow the words to the old Elton John song come to mind when I gaze into the stunning blue eyes of this Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum). This dragonfly was unusually cooperative and let me move in to take this close-up portrait with my macro lens.

If you have never heard “Blue Eyes” or just want a blast from the past, here’s a link to a YouTube video of Elton John performing the song.

Posted in Dragonflies, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, Portraits | Tagged Alexandria VA, blue eyes, Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 50D, Elton John, Huntley Meadows Park, Sympetrum ambiguum, Tamron 180mm macro lens | 14 Comments

14 Responses

on September 13, 2015 at 8:29 am | Reply Laura (PA Pict)

Stunning image. Those eyes are incredible.
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:42 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Laura. I love trying to see how close I can get to a subject and this dragonfly let me get really close, particularly since I was shooting with a non-zoom lens.
on September 13, 2015 at 9:15 am | Reply waltersanford

Can you think of a song about blue/turquoise faces/noses? I tried, but I’m stumped!
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:41 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I came up empty too.
on September 13, 2015 at 10:11 am | Reply krikitarts

Wonderful detail in this one, Mike–you caught the facet structure perfectly, with surprising DOF at this close range. What a beautiful steely blue!
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:40 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Gary. As you know, shooting this close handheld is quite a challenge and I was happy to capture a lot of details, like some of the individual lenses of the compound eyes and the little facial hairs that I find so endearing.
on September 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm | Reply nhillgarthnaturalist

Great Shot!
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:38 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. Every time I manage to pull off a shot like this, I am reminded of why I love my macro lens so much.
on September 13, 2015 at 1:05 pm | Reply waltersanford

OK, I repurposed a classic Christmas carol: Rudolph, the Blue-faced Meadowhawk. Had a very turquoise face. And if you ever saw it. You would even think it glows.
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:37 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I would indeed say that it glows!
on September 13, 2015 at 3:26 pm | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekker

Amazing macro shot, love the detail…This is such an enjoyable image.
- on September 14, 2015 at 3:36 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I am glad you enjoy this image, Charlie. This is the kind of fun shot that I love to try to get. As I move in on a subject like this, I never know if I will be able to get a shot or if it will fly away before I can react.
on September 14, 2015 at 5:27 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

That’s amazing!
- on September 14, 2015 at 5:38 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I love my macro lens and am always astounded (and happy) when a dragonfly lets me get this close. The Blue-faced Meadowhawks have been pretty cooperative in the past, though the degree of tolerance seems to vary from individual to individual.