# Practicing aerial captures



## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

Decided to see what I could do capturing DragonFlies in flight...  Handheld, light fill flash


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## jrice12 (Sep 9, 2011)

Like #2 best.  Crop it to be tighter on bug.  I see the tuck their little feet in when flying!


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

jrice12 said:


> Like #2 best.  Crop it to be tighter on bug.  I see the tuck their little feet in when flying!



#2 is my favorite also...   I couldn't decide whether to just crop to the dragonflies, or leave a little background. So you think a tighter crop would be more appropriate for these types of shots?


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## Forkie (Sep 9, 2011)

Nicely done sir.  #3 is my favourite, the background is the least distracting.  



cgipson1 said:


> jrice12 said:
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> > Like #2 best.  Crop it to  be tighter on bug.  I see the tuck their little feet in when  flying!
> ...



Perhaps, but be careful you don't crop too much, losing sharpness.  Are they cropped much already?


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## jrice12 (Sep 9, 2011)

For #2 there is a lot of space at the bottom and at right.  I would try to crop to get as many of the circles of confusion in as possible. I would probably try to place the critter to the left so it is flying into the scene more than out of it.


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

Forkie said:


> Nicely done sir.  #3 is my favourite, the background is the least distracting.
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about 50% to 75% crops. I find when trying to shoot them "on the wing", I need to leave myself a little extra room.. lol!


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## 2WheelPhoto (Sep 9, 2011)

Nice!


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## RKRAMOS (Sep 9, 2011)

What kind of lens are you using?


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## 480sparky (Sep 9, 2011)

Sparky jealous!


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

RKRAMOS said:


> What kind of lens are you using?



hahah... I used a lens that I normally don't take for this type of shooting.. my 70-200 2.8 VRII... It focuses so fast and accurately.. it is what makes capturing these shots possible.


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## Robin Usagani (Sep 9, 2011)

I want to see a video of you walking around taking these photos.  Must be so funny.


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

Schwettylens said:


> I want to see a video of you walking around taking these photos.  Must be so funny.



Why is that, Schwettylens? Mostly I just sit down and wait for the Dragonflies to come into range...


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

Tighter crops on #2 and #3 per request


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## c.cloudwalker (Sep 9, 2011)

[h=2]"Practicing aerial captures"[/h]
Darn, I was thinking about something else entirely. I had you shooting from an airplane


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

c.cloudwalker said:


> [h=2]"Practicing aerial captures"[/h]
> Darn, I was thinking about something else entirely. I had you shooting from an airplane



Sorry.. didn't mean to disappoint! lol!


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## c.cloudwalker (Sep 9, 2011)

No disappointment. You just took me by surprise because I once had to learn how to shoot from a flying object and that's what came to mind when reading your title


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

c.cloudwalker said:


> No disappointment. You just took me by surprise because I once had to learn how to shoot from a flying object and that's what came to mind when reading your title



I understand! I had to shoot from an inverted T-38 once.. it was a blast!


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## c.cloudwalker (Sep 9, 2011)

T-38?


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## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2011)

c.cloudwalker said:


> T-38?



jet trainer.. Air Force.


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## c.cloudwalker (Sep 9, 2011)

Ok. The military is where I learned to shoot from the air. Just from helicopters though and I didn't have to do it upside down


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## tevo (Sep 10, 2011)

Edit: nevermind, already answered.

beautiful photos, #2 is also my favorite


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## jrice12 (Sep 10, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> c.cloudwalker said:
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> 
> > No disappointment. You just took me by surprise because I once had to learn how to shoot from a flying object and that's what came to mind when reading your title
> ...



Small world, I helped design a piece of equipment on the T38 (at least the recently upgraded ones).


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## cgipson1 (Sep 10, 2011)

tevo said:


> Edit: nevermind, already answered.
> 
> beautiful photos, #2 is also my favorite



Thanks.. I had fun out taking the photos... nice way to spend a couple of hours! Sitting by a pond.. waiting for dragonflies to fly by, ducks quacking, birds singing.. a gentle breeze. I was tempted to take a nap! lol!


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## kinghen (Sep 11, 2011)

Nicely done I like them all!


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## tevo (Sep 12, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> tevo said:
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> > Edit: nevermind, already answered.
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lol i would imagine!  how were you shooting them ?  autofocus? or letting them fly into focus? i was attempting to shoot some gulls in flight today, had my camera in auto / AF, was difficult.


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## cgipson1 (Sep 12, 2011)

tevo said:


> cgipson1 said:
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Dragonflies are somewhat territorial, and will often fly back and forth within a certain defined range. They will often stop and hove for a second or two near the end of that range, before heading the other direction. That is the best time to shoot them. I was using AF about half the time.. and manual focus the other, but you have to be fast. With a little practice.. it isn't hard. At this particular site, there are a lot of cattails and cane that form a "wall". This dragonfly was flying between me and the "wall".... so his flight was a little more restricted than normal as he couldn't fly out over the water, that helped a lot. When ever another dragonfly would invade his space, he was chase it off and then hover again.. to see if it was gone, giving me more opportunities to get shots. Hope that helps.

Haven't tried shooting gulls.. although I tried some swallows the other day. That was impossible... little guys are fast and totally unpredictable. I will have to work on a way to shoot them. I did get some decent Magpie shots the other day, flying.. but the distance was a little more than optimal.


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## orionmystery (Sep 12, 2011)

Really cool DIF shots..esp like #2.


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## tevo (Sep 13, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


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god that almost looks like a paintingg.. nice shot!

and for some reason the concept of panning slipped from my brain cells... forgot to even try to do that with the gulls... i derped >:l


thanks for the advice though!


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## cgipson1 (Sep 13, 2011)

tevo said:


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Thanks! Magpies are fun to shoot... they are crazy birds! I love the contrast they have!  Post your efforts... be fun to see!


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## tevo (Sep 14, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


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i wouldnt know a magpie from a pidgeon.. 



i need to get over my fear of posting photos.. lol


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## cgipson1 (Sep 14, 2011)

tevo said:


> i wouldnt know a magpie from a pidgeon..
> 
> i need to get over my fear of posting photos.. lol



Just post them..  if someone bashes them, you can either take the advice or not....   no big deal! But it can give you some insight on where to improve ...


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## CyberPhotography (Sep 18, 2011)

Awesome ones man!Do you know maybe about the fisheye lenses for the D7000?!i would really want the 10.5 mm f/28 G ED DX ,but its about 700 bucks!any idea of some good but mybe a bit cheaper lenses..any advice would help.Thanks 
[h=2][/h]


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## tevo (Sep 18, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> tevo said:
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#KmH has already broken me down to nothing, and I have began building myself back up.


Someone bashing my photos can no longer hurt me.


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## cgipson1 (Sep 18, 2011)

tevo said:


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That is good! You will be stronger for it! lol!


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## cgipson1 (Sep 18, 2011)

CyberPhotography said:


> Awesome ones man!Do you know maybe about the fisheye lenses for the D7000?!i would really want the 10.5 mm f/28 G ED DX ,but its about 700 bucks!any idea of some good but mybe a bit cheaper lenses..any advice would help.Thanks
> [h=2][/h]



thanks! I don't know much about any of the fisheye lenses that are available.. Just not a lens that has ever interested me. $700 is cheap for a good lens..  don't really know any of the cheaper lenses. Sorry I can't help. If you can give me some idea of what you are wanting to do with a lens, then I might be able to help!


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## tevo (Sep 19, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> tevo said:
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Haha! I have my flickr up.. Flickr: theofficialtevo's Photostream


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## Olga_pv (Sep 24, 2011)

I am impressed :thumbup:

Specially #2 so so so wooooow


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## tevo (Sep 24, 2011)

Charlie, upload some more photos !


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## liiintz (Sep 24, 2011)

first time I see moving-macro pictures. i mean  i just saw macro with still insects before. nice work


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## Thunder_o_b (Feb 24, 2012)

Very nice, I know how difficult it is to get good shots like this, at least for me.

I like the un-cropped shots, it lends it's self to the concept of flight, instead of just another macro of a dragon.


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## cgipson1 (Feb 24, 2012)

Thunder_o_b said:


> Very nice, I know how difficult it is to get good shots like this, at least for me.
> 
> I like the un-cropped shots, it lends it's self to the concept of flight, instead of just another macro of a dragon.



Thanks! I am just waiting for it to warm up.. miss getting out and shooting for fun like this!


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## LightSpeed (Feb 26, 2012)

Amazing shyt.
I'm gonna get you to teach me how.
Not that I can't figure it out.
I wanna get it first hand from the grand master.


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## cgipson1 (Feb 26, 2012)

LightSpeed said:


> Amazing shyt.
> I'm gonna get you to teach me how.
> Not that I can't figure it out.
> I wanna get it first hand from the grand master.



hahaha.... I am Grand Master of Nothing! More like a wannadoitall Jester...

buth thanks, glad you like them!


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## Beast95 (Feb 26, 2012)

I love 4 cus it seems to be going through two blades of grass... Maybe I'm hallucinating though haha


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## cgipson1 (Feb 26, 2012)

Beast95 said:


> I love 4 cus it seems to be going through two blades of grass... Maybe I'm hallucinating though haha



Definitely heading toward two blades of grass.. just not quite there yet! Thanks!


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## Hussain Frutan (Feb 27, 2012)

woow amazign shoot i likee itt


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## cgipson1 (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks! I love watching / shooting the dragonflies... the flying ability they have is amazing!


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