Swift River Cruiser exuvia (face-head)

The following image is a focus-stacked composite of three photos, focused on the left eye, right eye, and both eyes respectively.

27 May 2017 | Riverbend Park | Swift River Cruiser (exuvia, face-head)

Tech Tips

The dragonfly exuvia was photographed against a pure white background (255, 255, 255) using the “Meet Your Neighbours” (MYN) technique.

Several photos were taken using my Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, a Kenko 12mm extension tube, and Laowa 25mm Ultra Macro Lens, set for f/4.0 (the sweet spot for this lens) at ~3.0x magnification.

A Godox TT685C external flash was used to backlight the background (a piece of translucent white plastic) and a Godox TT685F external flash was used as a key light on the right side of the subject. The flash was triggered wirelessly by a Godox X2TC.

Check the EXIF/IPTC info for the photograph for complete details regarding photo gear and camera settings.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to create a focus-stacked composite image that was edited using Apple Aperture.

The Backstory

A Swift River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia illinoiensis) exuvia was collected on 27 May 2017 along the Potomac River at Riverbend Park in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a female.

Copyright © 2020 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Tags: BoG Photo Studio, Family Macromiidae (Cruisers), female, focus stacking, Macromia illinoiensis, Meet Your Neighbours, Potomac River, Riverbend Park, studio photography, Swift River Cruiser dragonfly