I do – well, Dragonflies anyway!  I love these darting insects! There is something prehistoric about them and suddenly being confronted by one on your country walk can be slightly shocking and wonderful at the same time! Today I thought I would share some tips so you know what you are looking for and how to get some lovely dragonfly photographs. 

Damselflies or Dragonflies

These two similar insects are often confused. However it is easy to see which one you are looking at when you know what to look for. 

Size

Dragonflies have much larger, thicker bodies than damselflies.

Eyes

Dragonflies have large eyes that join together in the centre of the head. The Damselflies also have large eyes but they tend to be on the side of the head with a gap in between.

Wings

Dragonflies have broad wings with the rear set larger than the front ones. Damselflies wings are the same size and are more narrow towards the body. Also at rest the Dragonflies hold their wind open, while damselflies close their wings.

Close up of a Southern Hawker Dragonfly

Azure Damselfly

Dragonfly Photographs

These beautiful insects are very fast moving so it can be very difficult to capture great dragonfly photographs. So I thought I would share some of my top tips with you.

Tip One

Find a large body of water such as a pond. These insects spend most of their time around water so you are more likely to spot them.

Tip Two

Some species of damselfly can be spotted as early as May in the UK and some as late as October. However if you want to improve your chances of seeing a wide variety, look out for them in July and August.

Tip Three

These wonderful insects come out on warm sunny days – so make sure you head out when the weather is warm.

Tip Four

When you spot one, spend some time watching its movements. They will tend to circle in the same spot, resting on the same branches or leaves each time. Once you have worked out where it is more likely to land you can point your camera on that spot and wait for it to return.  

Tip Five

Head out in the cooler parts of the day. It might be a little tricker to spot them, but they will be slower in their movements. Allowing you to get great dragonfly photographs!

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Sara Sadler

Photographer

I am a fine art photographer based in the South of England. I enjoy sharing my photographic adventures, hints and tips.

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