Oversaturation?

July 16, 2017 by Mike Powell

Is it possible that I am sharing too many dragonfly images, that I am oversaturating the market and taxing the patience and tolerance of my readers? I realize that not everyone is as drawn as I am to these amazing little creatures and that some folks are repelled by insects of any variety or are simply not interested in them.

An old adage asserts that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and to a certain extent I agree with that statement. However, I would counterargue that beauty is not entirely subjective, that there are cases in which the majority of people would agree that something is beautiful.

I somehow think that this might be the case for an image I captured this past Friday of a spectacular female Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) at Huntley Meadows Park. Most of the Halloween Pennants that I have photographed this year have been males, which tend to be more visible, since they are trying to attract females, so it was a treat to spot a female. In the dragonfly world, females usually are the ones that choose the partner for mating and they frequently remain in the treeline or in open fields until they are ready.

I had my 150-600mm lens mounted on my camera, because I was hoping that I might see a bald eagle or a hawk, so I was able to shoot this dragonfly from a distance without disturbing her. I focused manually and was able to capture some beautiful details of the dragonfly, such as the two-toned eyes and the long, two-toned legs. I love the organic shape and feel of the cool-looking perch that the dragonfly had chosen. The background dropped out of focus so much that it almost looks like a studio shot and draws the eyes of viewers to the subject.

When you first read the title, you might have scratched your head in puzzlement, because the color palette is more subdued than oversaturated. By now, it should be clear that I was not referring to the colors, but to the question of whether or not I am posting too many images of dragonflies. Fear not, not all of my postings will be about dragonflies, but we are in the prime period for dragonflies, so stay tuned for more images of these amazing aerial acrobats. When it comes to the quantity of my dragonfly images, I feel like some Southerners do about sugar in their sweet tea—you can never have too much of a good thing.

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Celithemis eponina, halloween pennant, Halloween Pennant dragonfly, Huntley Meadows Park, Tamron 150-600mm | 17 Comments

17 Responses

on July 16, 2017 at 7:32 am | Reply Dina

Each and every dragonfly is a magic creature and you should post as many as you can, Mike. You capture them beautifully!
- on July 17, 2017 at 7:16 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks for your beautiful words, Dina. I marvel at the beauty and complexity of the wonderful creatures that I see and love to share a sense of that feeling with others through my photographs and words.
on July 16, 2017 at 7:32 am | Reply svtakeiteasy

Stunning shot Mike! Don’t worry about oversaturation, just do what you enjoy.
- on July 17, 2017 at 7:14 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Chris. I like your advice. If you go back to the original meaning of the word amateur, it’s about doing what I love. In that sense, I am happy not to be a professional and have the freedom to pursue my own interests.
on July 16, 2017 at 11:33 am | Reply Sally Morris

That picture looks like a silver sculpture! Great work!
on July 16, 2017 at 11:46 am | Reply waltersanford

Female Halloween Pennants are one of my favorite dragonflies. Thanks for reminding me it’s time to visit a couple of preferred places for finding HPs!
- on July 17, 2017 at 7:13 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Walter. I had forgotten how pretty the females are, having seen mostly male Halloween Pennants this season.
on July 16, 2017 at 4:48 pm | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

There’s no such thing as too many dragonflies!
- on July 17, 2017 at 7:10 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Allen. I totally agree with you.
on July 16, 2017 at 5:50 pm | Reply Dan Antion

Not to worry. I’ve enjoyed every photo you’ve put out here, except maybe the odd snake. Your photos are very good, Mike. I never get tired. I have had the same thought about bunnies & squirrels on my site.
- on July 17, 2017 at 7:10 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  You keep the bunnies and squirrels coming and I will do the same with my dragonflies. Deal? Your images have the advantage of having clever captions. 🙂
  - on July 17, 2017 at 9:11 pm Dan Antion
    
    Deal!
  - on July 17, 2017 at 11:03 pm Mike Powell
    
    I came across a bunny in the wild today, so I might encroach on your territory and post a photo of it.
  - on July 18, 2017 at 7:35 am Dan Antion
    
    Oh, please do! I love seeing them in the wild. Our yard and the neighbor’s yards are about as close as I get.
on July 16, 2017 at 8:46 pm | Reply Laura (PA Pict)

No! Keep the dragonfly photos coming. I love them.
on July 17, 2017 at 5:30 am | Reply centralohionature

I never get tired of dragonflies!
on July 22, 2017 at 4:48 am | Reply Rabbits at Occoquan Bay | Mike Powell

[…] a recent posting, I expressed my concern about possibly oversaturating my readers with dragonfly photos. In an […]