Dragonfly Aeshna sp. Larvae

[hkv]

I found this little guy in a recent sample. I believe it is a Dragonfly larvae, possible Aeshna sp. Please correct me if I am wrong!

First image with PlanAPO 2.5X. Stitch of 2 stacks with 100+ images in each.



UplanAPO 2.5X (crop of above)



UplanAPO 2.5X (crop of first image)



MplanFL5X (strong backlight and short exposure time [1/80s]). Used Dehaze heavily in Lightroom to compensate for glare which resulted in the weird background.



MplanFL5X (weak backlight and longer exposure time [1/15s])



MplanFL10X



MplanFL10X

[kit1980]

Very nice!

[JimT]

Stitch of 2 stacks with 100+ images in each.

You have much more patience than I do and it shows in the results. Very nice.

[hkv]

Thanks!

[apochronaut]

These are really fine. I especially appreciate how you gave it a sense of luminosity from within via the backlight , yet retained some surface texture too. You filled from the side?

[Johann]

These are amazing - well done!
May I ask how it was mounted?

[hkv]

These are really fine. I especially appreciate how you gave it a sense of luminosity from within via the backlight , yet retained some surface texture too. You filled from the side?

These are amazing - well done!
May I ask how it was mounted?

Thanks, yes, the subject was placed on a glass slide covered with a piece of greenish/blueish paper. The paper became a simple diffuser of the light coming from the condenser. Then I used several external light sources, a couple of Jansjö lights and a Zeiss fiber optic illuminator equipped with ping pong balls.

The backlight became a little too strong in most of these, but managed to retain surface details in most of the stacks in post. Personally I like the low-backlight version the most as it resembles the real colours of the dragonfly.

[KurtM]

Remarkable images, bravo sir!

As always, I have no favorite in the different lighting arrangements since I feel each shows different things to advantage. Or in short, my favorite is all the above!

[Johann]

Thanks, yes, the subject was placed on a glass slide covered with a piece of greenish/blueish paper. The paper became a simple diffuser of the light coming from the condenser. Then I used several external light sources, a couple of Jansjö lights and a Zeiss fiber optic illuminator equipped with ping pong balls.

The backlight became a little too strong in most of these, but managed to retain surface details in most of the stacks in post. Personally I like the low-backlight version the most as it resembles the real colours of the dragonfly.

Thanks for the feedback Like the idea of bottom diffusing paper

[Rodney]

Very nice and detailed dragonfly larvae, when I get a chance I will post one of ours. I can usually dip these out of the pond rather easily.
Rodney

[75RR]

Excellent images!

[billben74]

Really nice clean images. A treat!

[vasselle]

Bonjour.
Superbes images clairs et détaillées.
Cordialement seb

[hkv]

Thanks all!

[billbillt]

Hkv, your are very good at presenting wonderful photos!.. Thanks for posting..

BillT