Thought I would share this capture I got whilst on holiday, came out quite cool of a dragonfly!

Dragonflies are the best insects! Old as the dinosaurs. Here's one I took a few years ago

and one from last year, a Southern Hawker.

They are, I have some I took when I went camping, I really like the colours you get from them, and your pictures are really good, got some of a praying mantis as well, they are cool insects

Superb!

We've a brook at the back of our house and there have been some whoppers around there these past few weeks, I must try and get some shots if the weather is suitable this weekend.

I find it very hard to get close enough to get decent shots -they tend to be a bit flighty.

I really like the way the light is shining through the wings -like a stain glass window.

Here is one I took while at sea world. Not the best of shots I must admit but it was a oooo a dragon fly - SNAP sort f photo lol

Woah, I've just put the EXIFI add on on to my FF, highly recommended

The OP's shot is terrific - love the transmitted light from the wings onto the shadow below. I'm very jealous!

I really like the look of the Emperor dragonflies. Haven't seen one close up for quite a few years, but that time it was very obliging. I had a Nikon D50 at the time and these two were with the standard 50mm lens with a +4 closeup filter. I got the lens within 3 inches without it flinching until my son decided to prod it, and it was off! First is rescaled but the second is a 100% crop to show the eyes.

Quick question with regards to the above. Close up filters are they worth while? Id like to take photos of flowers but my lenses don't allow me to get close enough to see the detail

I think they can give quite good results. The downside seems to be the depth of field is seriously reduced so you can end up with only 5mm or less in the plane of focus (where you need a big aperture/fast shutter to get a sharp shot. I've been contemplating getting a macro lens, but recently changed cars so it will have to wait (quite) a while longer :( I bought a +2 filter to use with the 18-200mm lens on my D90 but I don't think the results are as good as the old setup. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable with experience of both will be able give a better answer.

This one was quite flighty was playing with the drive mode on my camera and this was one of the captures, It was taken on my 7d with 17-40mm and the light was fantastic

Cool, you're so lucky to have found dragonflies to photograph! The only thing I've ever found is damsel flies, which are nice, but nowhere near as big. also, I only had my crappy Tamron "macro" lens with me, I so wish I'd had my proper 105mm true macro lens.

Blueboy by dreamzscape, on Flickr

Mating in the water - looks a bit dangerous to me!

Mating Damsel Flies by dreamzscape, on Flickr

Edited 25 August, 201213 yr by Loz

Here's one I took in Iraq in '04

Sat on a Puma homer aerial

Edited 23 April, 201313 yr by philpheasant

I took this about 5yrs ago with an Aldi digital

Got a photo of this beastie in the garden.