Shots

Higher Hyde Heath

September 5, 2011June 11, 2014 Chris 0 Comments Butterfly, Canon 100mm F2.8 USM, Canon 20D Infrared Converted, Canon 50D, Canon MPE-65mm, Common Darter, Dragonfly, fungi, Infrared, macro, Robber Fly, Ruddy Darter, Small White

Went with both my Canon 50D and my IR converted 20D to Higher Hyde Heath in Dorset (A DWT Reserve), primarily to hunt some dragonflies. The place is also good for fungi, which I note are coming up already, and it was in fact these subjects that I took first in both normal and infrared.

Fungi – Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 100 F4 1/30 Natural Light Tripod.

Fungi in IR – Taken on IR (enhanced colour) converted Canon 20D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 100 F4 1/60 Natural Light, Tripod.

Then a nice little group shot only in normal light.

Four Fungi – Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 100 F3.2 1/15 Natural Light Tripod.

I then spotted a Common Darter munching away on a bug on a branch. Having taken these before in normal light, I decided to try the enhanced colour IR camera on it. I’m quite pleased with the result.

Female Common Darter in IR – Taken on IR (enhanced colour) converted Canon 20D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F9 1/200 Natural Light.

Whilst shooting this I noticed a Small White posing on some brambles…I got a bit closer to it later!

Small White on brambles – Pieris rapae – Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F5.6 1/1000 Natural Light.

I then set off to the lower pond, and on the board walk found a Robber Fly resting.

Robber Fly – Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F9 1/200 Natural Light.

Finally I did manage a new to me dragon species, what I at first thought was a Common Darter, I believe now to be a Ruddy Darter due to its red face. This was a fleeting shot as it flew off and did not return to allow a closer shot. I like the bokeh off the lake in the shot.

Ruddy Darter - Sympetrum sanguineum — Canon EOS 50D (100mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO400)
Ruddy Darter – Sympetrum sanguineum

Finally on the way up I spotted, what was probably the same Small White as earlier, now roosting low to the ground. This allowed some shots on my tripod, allowing natural light on the MPE at 1:1. The last shot is at 4x lifesize and the shutter speed at that magnification, necessitated the flash.