:-) Warning explicit material !

[ajohnw]

I had high hopes for this one when I took it but there are too many problems even after a fair bit of PP so posting for interest. I did remove the red stripe using LAB but it doesn't help. Neither does toning down the background and even the rest of it. I did do that on this one. In many ways it looks better full sized.

Looks like a portable background would help in situations like this. They didn't seem bothered by what was going on around them but too few leaves to re arrange.



This was the layer stack as there seems to be some interest in that around at the moment. I then spruced up the blues in Rawtherapee using LAB and added a little contrast to very fine detail.



Masking a bit rough in places as I had a feeling it just wont work out what ever I do to it. I might try something completely different later.

John
-

[John 2]

Good end result John and thanks for sharing your workflow.

[Downrigger]

Pretty hard on yourself, I think. This is quite amazing and appealing despite your reservations.

[Geoff F]

I know what you mean, John. Difficult enough to catch them 'at it' and then you have to worry about getting an angle where both are in sharp focus; to say nothing about having the wrong light angle.

Sometimes I find flash is the only answer; but on other occasions that causes as many problems as it solves!

And when I have everything to my liking. Something scares them and they move to an even worse position.

Are those Blue-tailed Damselflies?

[ajohnw]

I'm not sure what they are Geoff. I was hoping some one would tell me.

The processing hasn't done them a lot of good. I just wanted to see if I could find a way of making them stand out more - quickly and if promising do it all again. Too many layers really so I knew I had problems after the 1st 2 - 3..

This is another shot of the same species but I gained the impression that there were some about that mostly had a black body and lacked the blue tail. I wondered if these were male females of the same species. The black ones didn't settle.



Problem with a pair is that the shot shows similar detail levels but needs a huge image to show them.

John
-

[ajohnw]

This is another version Geof with fewer attempts at titivation. My feeling is that a female is clutching a leaf and also some how holding the male in place. No signs of the blue on the tail of one of them and it also has a different shape on the end.



My name for critters like this is dragon flies.

John
-

[Daveart]

Hi John they are blue damsel flies very common in the UK.
Great images and well captured, they are generaly very camera shy.

Dave

[Geoff F]

That other photo is a Blue-tailed Damselfly. The critical points are two-tone wing spots and the abdomen being thinner in the middle section than at the ends.

The problem with them is that they come in various colour forms, particularly females. They all seem to want to have a different colour scheme from their neighbours!

They have a somewhat strange mating method (all dragonflies and damselflies) where the male transfers sperm into a special holding 'pouch' at the top of its abdomen. He then steadies the female while she places her tail into that pouch. Hence the differences which you see here and that typical 'wheel' shape.

Incidentally, you get extra marks if you can find a pair where their tails form a heart shape.

Damselflies sit with wings folded while dragonflies always have them outstretched.

And yes, I think the simplified edit is working better and appearing clearer.

ps. Regarding Blue-tailed Damselflies. Although generally common, they are rather scarce where I live so I have been searching for one. Checking all the Azure and Common Blue Damselfly females, which also have a black abdomen. Eventually, after two years of checking at one particular site, I found one last week.

[ajohnw]

I can't say as I have seen any damsels in the Midlands either Geoff. I used to fish a lot all over the place as well so if I ever did see one it can't have been often. These were in W Wales. I saw the pair, one which appeared by eye to be black all over and 2 or 3 with the blue tales. They were around for a few hours early afternoon and no sign at all the following day.

Thanks. I'll try and remember the wing aspect.

I tried a totally different layer stack this morning which looks more promising so I will probably do that one properly soon for practice.

PS Fly fishing too.

John
-