Eye-to-eye - Theo Bosboom - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2006

2006: Animal Portraits - Highly Commended

Theo Bosboom Enlarge image Eye-to-eye

Theo Bosboom (The Netherlands)

Eye-to-eye

This white-legged damselfly posed one May evening for more than an hour on symmetrically crossed grasses. It seemed as transfixed by the photographer as he was by it. 'After a couple of photos from a distance,' says Theo, 'I crept closer and closer, trying not to make any unexpected movements. An hour or so and many shots later, I was really close. But it still maintained eye contact while I fired off shot after shot.' The resulting detail reveals not only its beautiful colours but also its spiked hair and 'goatee' beard, together with its armoury of sensory leg bristles.

Canon EOS 30 with 100mm f2.8 macro lens, 25mm extension tube and 1.4 extender; Fujichrome Velvia 50 rated at 40; tripod, cable release and mirror lock-up.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.