We are coming to the end of the season for the Sable Clubtail (Stenogomphurus rogersi), so it was really exciting to spot Sable Clubtails last Wednesday as I was exploring a small stream in Fairfax County. As some of you may recall, the Sable Clubtail is an uncommon dragonfly species in my area. A month ago I was really concerned that the increase of silt and vegetation in the stream where they have previously been seen seem might have caused them to disappear.
I am somewhat more optimistic now that I have seen them several times over the past month. During my most recent trip, I think I may have spotted at least two individual Sable Clubtails. If you compare the front wing tips of the dragonflies in the second and third images, they appear to be different. I photographed the dragonfly in the first photograph later that same day in the same general area, so it could have been one of the others that I photographer earlier or a third individual.
It is always fun to try to figure out the best way to photograph a dragonfly when I encounter it. To a certain extent my options are dictated by the way the dragonfly perches and the habitat in which it is found. In the case of the Sable Clubtail, I usually find them perched low on leafy vegetation overhanging the stream. If I am lucky, I’ll find myself in a position to attempt a close-up shot like the first image—I was crouched low as I straddled the stream to capture that image.
Although the Sable Clubtail will soon be gone, other dragonflies will be appearing on the scene before long. I expect to be busy chasing after these newcomers as we move deeper into the summer.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Gorgeous blue eyes and a very cheeky face in that first photo!
Thanks, Liz. I love getting a close-up view of the facial expressions of a dragonfly–they often seem to be smiling or at least smirking. 🙂
Wow!
Absolutely amazing photography, gosh the patience you possess, bravo!
Thanks. I tend to be more patient and persistent than many of my friends and that helps me get shots like this even more than any skills or gear that I might have.
Indeed, you are someone who is able to live in the moment, that is a rare skill. It has given you a rather unique perspective, especially in the first shot. Most photographs I’ve seen are of an aerial view, to show off their wings. Again, congratulations, thanks for sharing them. Happy shooting yeah.
These are excellent images, Mike. Forgive me for wondering if you’ve ever gotten wet while trying to get just the right photo.
Thanks, Dan. Yes, Dan. I have fallen or slid into streams several times and have stepped into marshy ground and sunk into mud almost up to one of my knees, but I have been lucky that my gear has not gotten wet. On occasion, I will wade into the water deliberately to get a shot. I laugh when I think of the time when I was in calf-deep water and was crouching lower and lower until I suddenly realized my entire back side was wet. 🙂
“…I have been lucky that my gear has not gotten wet.” I’ve been on enough photo shoots with our daughter to recognize this as the sure sign you’re talking to a photographer.
Photographers–especially nature photographers–are a bit weird in that regard. Most of us would are more willing to sacrifice our bodies than to risk our gear. That being said, I don’t baby my gear, and end up accumulating scuffs and nicks as I fight my way through brambles and go under and over various obstacles. I suspect that is the way that you treat some of your tools. Tools are made to be used and it is inevitable that they will not remain in pristine condition for long, no matter how careful you are.
Very true. I just replaced my drill/driver set. I had them for years but they were not babied.
That first shot is fabulous, Mike! Not only is it amazingly crisp it is educational to see the head and other front body details so clearly.
Thanks, Ellen. My eye-to-eye shots are becoming my signature images, because most photographers I know don’t even attempt to shoot that kind of a shot, which really requires a macro lens. I love being able to see details of the dragonflies like their tiny feet, though, as you can see, depth of field is pretty shallow when I am that close and shooting handheld.
It’s a great look, even with the shallow dof and nice to see something different. And don’t forget the ability to get down close to the ground for the best angle, and getting back up, which a lot of photographers can’t/won’t do! 😀
I’m happy to still be mobile and agile enough to bend all around to get my shots, something that I definitely do not take for granted as I get older.
What a photo!
Thanks, Lulu.
Brilliant first shot Mike!
Thanks, Brian. I love trying to get shots like that. Dragonflies don’t always cooperate, but when they do, I try to get in as close as I can.
I had great fun with these three dragonfly photos, Mike. I clicked on each one, to get a closer look, and I’m on a desktop computer so they were big on my big screen. I did see a difference in the edging of the front wingtips of Sable3 and 1, though very slight. But it was Sable4, the first photo, that absolutely knocked my socks off. What a creature! What a photo! Thanks for sharing the marvel….
Thanks, Jet. The first shot is definitely the one that grabs the attention of viewers, which is why I led with it. Of course, if you are more interested in learning the identification features of the dragonfly, the other photos are more helpful because of the way they show the details of the entire body. It is a variation of the art vs science discussion, but fortunately we don’t have to choose only one–we can have them all.
Wow, Mike! These are stunners! I really love the first shot! Great work, and hats off! 🙂
Thanks, Pete. It is always fun to try to get shots like the first one, a good test of my stealthiness and photographic skills.
I love that first shot with the focus on the amazing eyes and the slightly awry symmetry.
Thanks, Laura. I tried to look straight into the dragonfly’s eyes, but somehow his body and mine were not quite in alignment. It is kind of cool, though, looking down its abdomen as it fades into a blur,
I really like the composition whether it was intentional or pragmatic.
Thanks, Laura. I too think that it works 🙂
What big eyes you have!!
I only have eyes for you….
Terrific head-on shot, Mike, as if it is saying, “Hello there!”
Thanks, Eliza. I like your take on the message that the dragonfly was conveying to me. At a minimum he was pretty cooperative and tolerated my putting the camera in his face. Maybe he is used to paparazzi. 🙂
Embracing his ’15-minutes of fame.’ 😉
Impressive closeup on those gorgeous eyes, Mike.
Great Series of Images Mike!!