Bradley Bocking, Damselflies (ANIMAL 2022)

For over 30 years I have lived opposite Bibra Lake, a large freshwater wetland in the southern suburbs of Perth. This is home to a multitude of bird and reptile life. This summer was the first time I'd ever noticed so many damselflies (and dragonflies) skimming across the water near one of the bird hides. Reeds that surrounded the boardwalk leading to the bird hide were the perfect resting place for hundreds of damselflies in the early morning and late afternoon sun and an ideal location to photograph them. Their colour is captivating and eyes mesmerising. It's sometimes said, when you look into an eye you look into a soul and you could be forgiven that damselflies have souls. The way they position their bodies, fold their wings and clasp the reed on which they land is all quite deliberate and conscious of their surroundings. And whether you look at them from the side, over-head or front-on, they always look at you.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.