Common darter are one of the easier dragonfly species to photograph. They often stand at rest in sunny patches, and can be less wary than other types. But the females tend to show themselves more rarely than the males, and more prone to flying off when someone gets close.
So I was surprised several years ago around this season when a female common darter landed just inches from where I was crossing the bridge over the Railway Walk at Castlecroft, and even more surprised when I was able to get off several close-up pictures without any signs she was disturbed. These are pictures I never posted at the time.