How do you handle the heat? For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the last few months have seen a series of unrelenting hot days. High temperatures have frequently been in the 90’s (33 degrees C) and have occasionally pushed past 100 degrees (38 degrees C).
Despite the heat, I ventured out yesterday with my camera during the middle of the day and visited Huntley Meadows Park, a local wetlands area. Wildlife activity seemed quite low—many of the creatures seemed to be sheltering out of sight in the shade. I did manage to spot this female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) that was perilously perched on a flimsy bit of vegetation. I don’t know for sure if she was taking a siesta or was simply chilling, but somehow her actions seemed make a bit more sense for dealing with the heat than those of this intrepid photographer.
Perhaps the old saying is true—”Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.” Technically I am not English, so what does that make me?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
My favorite little green beauty certainly looks cool in this lovely photo! I must wonder what a “selfie” taken at the same time would show!?! I do admire this dedication to your art and the audience of followers. As for myself : air conditioned comfort, a book and fresh cups of coffee suffice for these brutal days of summer. “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen. Thank-YOU, Mr. Mike!!
Thanks, Ellen. What would a selfie show? I often get into unusual positions in trying to compose my shots. Years ago I did a post called Photography positions (https://michaelqpowell.com/2020/06/18/photography-positions/) that showed some of my contortions. I like the sound of your summer strategies, although I am currently going through Invisalign treatment that requires me to wear clear plastic retainers on my teeth for at least 22 hours a day, which means that leisurely cups of coffee are off of my personal menu for the moment.
Well, Mike, in those temps it makes you wise! What a beautiful capture!
Thanks. Some days a sense of “cabin fever” overtakes me and I feel compelled to go out with my camera irrespective of the weather. I do try to take it easy, though, and make sure I have water with me.
You’re welcome! Good for you! My treatments, hospital stays, and a bum foot/ankle/leg have tried to keep me sidelined. I’m going to adjust treatment since I’m still here so I can build strength and endurance again to get back out in nature. I sent our latest Missouri Conservation Magazine to a friend, but it had a picture of a rare dragonfly and I immediately thought of you! Your quality of photography, to me, is better than what I saw in the magazine! I hope you submit your photos–but I understand if you don’t! Here’s to no cabin fever!!
I’m sorry to heart that you’re somewhat sidelined. I have learned from my dragonflies and butterflies that physical limitation may require adaptation, but don’t have to keep you down altogether. Do what you can as you try to rebuild your strength. In the meantime, I’ll try to keep giving you glimpse of natures through my photos. Photographing dragonflies is tough, especially if a species is uncommon–sometimes an identifiable shot is all you can get. I don’t submit photos to contests very often and was happy that I one of the times I did, I was awarded second place in a local competition. Here’s a link to a blog posting about that experience. https://michaelqpowell.com/2015/12/21/second-place-in-local-photo-competition/
Good shot, mad dog!
Thanks, Molly. I chuckled when I read your response.
We sure aren’t getting out much this summer, and as you commented when we do there isn’t much out moving around. I’ve been revisiting some folders of photos I took last year and have found a few surprises I forgot about.
Thanks, Ellen. Summertime used to be my peak time for photography, but I seem to be a little less heat tolerant than I used to be. (It could also be that retirement gives me a lot more freedom to choose the time of my outings than when I was still working.) It is also a fascinating experience to look back over photos that we have taken with new eyes–sometimes we see things differently and sometimes it is simply that we overlooked some gems.