Bugs for breakfast
Bugs for breakfast
Get out your telephoto or macro lens, pull on a pair of boots and head to the river just as the damselflies are warming up
We all know it’s the early bird that catches the worm – and it’s the early photographer who gets great shots of damselflies. They will be around later in the day, of course, but as the temperature climbs, they become hyperactive and harder to shoot. Damselflies are present around rivers and ponds throughout the summer, and are a fast-moving but colourful target for keen nature photographers.
Approach them with either a telephoto lens or, if you want really close-up detailed shots of their amazing bodies, a macro lens. Search among the riverside reeds where they warm their wings, in readiness for a busy day flitting about.
Getting close to damselflies is relatively easy but requires stealthy stalking – perhaps with wellies or waders on, if you need to get in the water for the best spots. While warming up, they’re likely to be half-hidden: this is the perfect time to get a macro lens just a few centimetres away. Use a single autofocus point and lock onto the eye, with a shutter speed that’s fast enough for hand-holding.
Distracting background
Even with a macro lens, a close background can be distracting if you use an aperture of f/8, so choose your aperture carefully according to what’s behind the subject.
Diffused background
By switching to f/4, the background is much less distracting, allowing the insect to stand out; the sacrifice you make is less depth of field in the body and wing detail.