Battle Creek Wildlife Area - 19 June 2005

On 19 June 2005, I spent a few hours photographing odes at Battle Creek Wildlife Area in south-central Shastas County. It was the first time using a new technique (for me) called cross-polarization. Simply put, it means placing a polarizing film in front of the flash and a polarizing filter on the lens. The lines of polarization on the film and the filter are oriented 90 degrees to each other. The result is an almost complete lack of glare on the subject. No diffuser element is used, just the two polarizing elements.

Female American Rubyspot. I find these about impossible to photograph using a flash with a diffuser element. The resultant glare is very distracting.

Male Black-fronted Forktail. For some reason, the glare reduction did not work well on this subject.

Male Sinuous Snaketail.

Young male Variegated Meadowhawk.

Male Western Meadowhawk.

Male Blue Dasher.

Young male Blue Dasher.

Female Blue Dasher.

Young male Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Male Flame Skimmer.

Male Western Pondhawk.

Female Western Pondhawk.