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"Let us Pray"
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"Let us Pray"

by Kumar Patel

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted February 18, 2010120 views5 comments
The position of the legs and wings suggested a posture of supplication to me. The "arrow" left no doubts about the direction of heaven.
Photo taken in July, 2008 at the Celery Farm (a nature preserve) in Allendale, New Jersey.
Nikon D3, Nikon 200-400mm with 2X teleconverter, f/11.0, 1/800, ISO 1000

Lesson Learned: Want to see eye to eye with a Dragonfly?
First bid your clean clothes bye-bye!

Would appreciate your thoughts and critiques.
Thank you for your warm welcome to me into this group of wonderful and highly talented people.
Kumar

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Charles Younger on February 19, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Nice shot. It's an engaging angle of view I think. I don't personally find a religious interpretation particularly compelling, but I really do like the image. One odd thing... when I look at it here I think it would be better if a little were cropped from the top. I don't get the same sense when I look at either the thumbnail or the larger image. I'm not exactly sure why that is yet.

Charles
Registered on January 15, 2010, 151 Posts, 269 Comments
Comment posted by Sally King on February 19, 2010 at 10:49 PM
I love the bend of those wings. Great colors too.
Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments
Comment posted by Mike Moats on February 21, 2010 at 4:35 PM
Hey Kumar, very cool position of the D-fly. Good details and BG. :toast:
Registered on October 20, 2004, 892 Posts, 6324 Comments
Comment posted by Pete D on February 21, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Hi Kumar,

So, this was made with the equivalent of a 400-800 zoom at ISO 1000. Amazing. You got great quality, all things considered.

The smooth background works very well with the subject. Of course, that smooth background means that you're working with a limited depth of field, so it's a challenge to keep everything of importance in focus too. There is good detail in the leading edge of the wings, but as I read back into the wings I start to notice softness. Still, the subject is mostly the wings and the shape and those come across well.

The subject's eyes are great, but they are out of focus. It looks better in the larger version, so maybe that's just this small version.

You're right that the form created by the subject is interesting. I wish for a little more room all around that form, but perhaps that is partly because it is posted against black. I like black mats for prints (I also like small prints), but I'm starting to realize that small-and-against black creates a different, closer feel for the print (image). Black mats make me see the full frame more, so space becomes more important.

Pete D.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 590 Posts, 1794 Comments
Comment posted by Balakumar Kaushik on February 24, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Beautiful image; a very unique angle.

:toast:
Registered on January 4, 2008, 98 Posts, 1403 Comments