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Lake Winnipeg, Canada

The last moments of a Dragonfly's life captured on film. I did not hold this insect captive, it was just laying like this on my deck.

Composer : Gustavo Santaolalla
from the Babel soundtrack

  • Jon Wu 6 months ago
    Nice, I just cried over a bug :-P

    AMAZING Footage Paul!! You are one with that lens bro!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Hehe, thanks Jon. I am Mr Miyagi to that 100mm
  • Jon Wu 4 months ago
    I have watched this 100 times. You are one of a kind bro!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 4 months ago
    Im flattered! Thanks for watching, Jonny!
  • Jon Wu 4 months ago
    No problem PK! I am really amazed mainly because of the tiny scale that this is all happening on. Your opening focus pull from his fuzzy little back to his face is like an inch!! Thats like turning the focus ring maybe 1 mm!! And no shake!! Did you use any stabilization in post??
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  • Luke Carter 6 months ago
    Ah, that made me so sad! beautiful!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Luke! Glad it had an effect on you.
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  • stuart whalley plus 6 months ago
    Hey Paul, great shots man!!!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Stu!
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  • slowmo.tv 6 months ago
    what lense did you use? 100mm Macro IS?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Yep, the 100mm2.8L. I would be nothing without IS!!
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  • Marcus Leite plus 6 months ago
    This is nuts. When I saw the pulsing action on his tale end it blew my mind.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thats my goal dude!!
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  • Matt Wiebe 6 months ago
    oh man, so sad. beautiful video though
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Matt! He TOTALLY feasted on mosquitos that day so Im sure he was pleased with his lifes work
  • Matt Wiebe 6 months ago
    just seeing him breath like that, wow. Just incredible. Love how you cut to what would have been his point of view too. You're got skills man, I'm getting more intimidated to know you, haha, you're to good. Frick, now I want to buy a macro lens. This video belongs on National Geographic TV.
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  • Bill Acheson plus 6 months ago
    That's some subtle focus pulling! Everything was so sharp!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Bill!
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  • Sundeep Toor plus 6 months ago
    amazing footage :) nicely edited into a narrative too :)
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  • Atticus Lake plus 6 months ago
    Very beautiful... lovely the way you built a narrative around it.
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  • Oden 6 months ago
    very nice
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  • Vitùc plus 6 months ago
    Wonderful !
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  • Matt Wiebe 6 months ago
    is it crazy that his face reminds me of my dog?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Nope! haha i thought the very same thing! Its like he has three faces all in one. I personally love the drunken yellow one eyed face right in the front:P
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  • JJ Fabre plus 6 months ago
    Yo man! This is... so asosjdflksjdf.
    I'm stumped, I don't even know what to say.
    Great capture bro.

    God bless you more.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    You too man! I loved your Vimeo apprentice vid:)
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  • Dan Hashemi 6 months ago
    well done! :) RIP
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  • Simon Watson 6 months ago
    wow - this is the kind of work that i want to see more of! i need to get back out in the field! what lens and aperture do you use for the expiring dragonfly?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Simon! 100mm Macro 2.8… was at 2.8 mostly as I was shooting very high shutter
  • JJ Fabre plus 6 months ago
    Paul, may I ask when is best to use high shutter speeds, and low shutter speeds? Because when I shot at 24fps I keep my shutter at 50. And when in 60fps I use 120shutter speed. Because they said in order to get good results your shutter should be twice your fps.

    Thanks man, info would really be much hoorayed!

    :)
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    I mainly use the same shutter speeds as you mentioned but if you want more flexibility for the edit shoot higher shutter speed like 1/1000 or greater. it sometimes looks choppy but you can smooth it in post or slow waaaaay down and it looks like no frame blending. clean and crisp!
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  • Caleb Vinson plus 6 months ago
    Outstanding!!!!!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Caleb :)
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  • Chris Klüpfel 6 months ago
    Wow... sad but amazing! And you got a POV-shot as well that`s great! Think I gotta buy a macro lens too!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks Chris!
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  • Real&Short plus 6 months ago
    Yes, so sad to watch it. Very touching.
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  • Adrian Bisek 6 months ago
    very cool
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  • Too gruesome to take us to the very end?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    That was pretty much it. he stopped moving after that moment
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  • Andrey Andonov plus 6 months ago
    Life and Death! Impressive short film:)
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thank you Andrey!
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  • Millefiore Clarkes plus 6 months ago
    all earth's creatures got souls. lovely.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thank You:) Yeah I definitely felt for this guy. Ive seen thousands upon thousands of dead bugs but never have I been affected like this
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  • Daniel Ferro plus 6 months ago
    This is by far the most touching video about wildlife I've ever seen. Its easy to do videos about baby tigers or cute monkeys...but make me cry about a regular bug its the first time. AMAZING!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks for the kind words!
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  • Self-Eating Pie 6 months ago
    Really beautiful work, congratulations.
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  • Matt Wiebe 6 months ago
    i've probably watched this 20 times. It's just so damn powerful
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  • Eddie Peel 6 months ago
    Cool Paul. I'm flying around. In Kiev at the moment watching this. So damn fine
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  • glossolalia black 6 months ago
    *tears*
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  • sergio yamasaki plus 6 months ago
    Thanks!
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  • David Graham Scott 6 months ago
    Poignant and beautiful. Well done!!
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  • Julian Futanto 6 months ago
    The best part is it almost seems like he's praying as he nears the end..
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    :-)
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  • Callum Baker 6 months ago
    Stunning photography in this, perfect music for it too. Beautiful!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thank you Callum!
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  • Daniel M 6 months ago
    Well done, sir. You made a 32 y.o. man tear up and sniffle about a dragonfly.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    I am 31 and I cried too so you are not alone brother
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  • Gestina Roman 6 months ago
    I just cried. Thank you.
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  • Keith Donegan 6 months ago
    Amazing! what camera do you use?
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  • Jack booja 6 months ago
    Verry powerfull images, touched me. Love & peace !
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  • David Owens 6 months ago
    Simply touching.. Thank you.
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  • beautiful! blogged at
    chimeralucida.tumblr.com
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks for doing that!

    P
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  • Gunther Gheeraert pro 6 months ago
    wow... speechless... really beautiful !
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thank you!
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  • Rodrigo J Lopez plus 6 months ago
    As a visual artist it's so important to keep your eyes open, to absorb and observe everything no matter how big or, in this case, how small. You captured in under two minutes a moment that so many go a lifetime without experiencing. Thanks for sharing.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Thanks for commenting!

    You are bang on. I'm always working(or not working) depending on how you're looking at it :)
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  • Jonathan Patterson 6 months ago
    As has been mentioned, I really liked when you could see him breathing. Kinda looked like he was praying with his legs up to his face. Very compelling video!
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  • Eli Firmeza 6 months ago
    fucking awesome...
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  • Mike Mytnick plus 6 months ago
    Hands down one of the best videos I've seen in a long time
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Im happy you liked it!
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  • Brian Boudreau 6 months ago
    great work
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  • Shanghaijerry 6 months ago
    Beautifully done.
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  • marfab plus 6 months ago
    exceptional
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  • Christopher Honninger 6 months ago
    Awesome. May I ask how 1:08 was achieved?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    A GoPro on the end of my canoe paddle. Forgot to mention that in the details!
  • Christopher Honninger 6 months ago
    You are indeed creative! The slowest I have got is 5% with Twixtor off of a 24fps shot - so you can imagine how warped the generated frames in-between looked like! Awful.
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  • Paul Hamilton plus 6 months ago
    UN REAL - 1:08-1:11 is the dragonfly's POV, did I get this right? Beautiful photography, and thank you for noticing the drama that was being played out on a miniature scale. You obviously appreciate things that almost everyone overlooks.
  • Christopher Honninger 6 months ago
    Haha, read my question. I thought the exact same thing, I believe Paul tried to mimic the fly's POV.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 4 months ago
    You got it! Thanks for the amazing comments I am very flattered.
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  • juan pablo 6 months ago
    which camera is used for this film? really good camera.. congratulation for this video
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Canon 7D and thanks!
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  • bliss* productions pro 6 months ago
    captivating. the prayer pose of the dragonfly. who knew? beautiful work. which brand of the 100mm Macro are you shooting on?
  • Paul Kroeker plus 6 months ago
    Canon 100mm2.8L IS. Gotta have IS for MAcro video :O
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  • Chris Klüpfel 6 months ago
    Just heard a Song that reminded me on your Video:
    youtu.be/yZJM56jj-2w

    :)
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  • Roland van Paridon 6 months ago
    Wow, I've never appreciated the beauty and innocence of a dragonfly until now. Great footage!
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    Thank you:)
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  • FKY plus 5 months ago
    Wow !! i love it so much !
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    Danke!
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  • Tinefis 5 months ago
    Oh, I SO want a macro lens.
    Beautifully shot. =o)
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    : ) :-) : p
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  • David Grecu plus 5 months ago
    Wonderful. Transcendent. Did you color correct it? So beautiful. Reminds me of the old Russian film experiment where the cut from a man's face to a bowl of soup etc.

    Also reminds me of Matthew 10:29-30: "Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many Sparrows."
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    CC was done in Final Cut. Very poignant verses David! Thanks!
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  • David Edward Therault plus 5 months ago
    Nice work... life, in the most minute form, remains life.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    Indeed. Thank you!
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  • Luke Humphrey plus 5 months ago
    Nice job capturing this moment, Paul. We also share taste in music, Gustavo Santaolalla is amazing.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 5 months ago
    Thanks Luke!! He is amazing! I just discovered his music by fluke while searching to find music fitting for this moment.
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  • Gabriel Franco plus 4 months ago
    Really good Paul! Congrats.
  • Paul Kroeker plus 4 months ago
    Thanks Gabriel!
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  • Gaina plus 4 months ago
    That was incredibly moving. Also nice to know I can admit it moved me to tears and at least a few people won't think I'm daft ;).
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