Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Keith, just wondering how you manage to take all the great photos of Easterns we see here? Mine seem more interested in taking off than posing. Is the background we see in your pictures a set or just outside? Seems like by the time I focus and shoot, all I get is a blurry shot of a snake halfway out of the frame. Is there a trick you use, or is it just trial and error? Anyone with a tip, let me know.

Todd

P.S. I know there's probably a herp photography forum out there, but I know the folks on this forum and see a lot of great shots here, so I decided to ask here.

I certainly don't qualify as one who posts great pics, but if you have a digi, you can go through a heckuva lot of shots 'til you find a good one. Unlike with 35mm that you have to wait to have developed. I use one of the low end Kodak digis. It is slow and I miss a lot of shots, but a little practice of "reading" the snakes will help. Some put the snake under a cup or similar and set up the shot before lifting it off the snake just as they snap the pic. I have noticed that if I do not handle my snakes first, but plan out a shot a bit, then basically drop him in place, that they often cooperate. It seems for a second or two they are a bit shocked and are taking in all the new info before deciding which way to flee. Just enough time for a try. If one snake just won't work with me, I give up on him for a while and try another. Even then for me it's a crap shoot. You'll see a lot of mine in their boxes because I'm just too lazy to work hard at it!
:Mark

Mine are the same way they do very rarely sit still for a few minutes but usually they are zipping all around. I use a digital camera and a 128mb card so I can take quite a few pics in one sitting. The camera I use is a Nikon Coolpix 4300 and I really like it. The background is a set of sorts its a piece of wood with stuff I throw on it but its outside as I like the natural light the best for color. Some of the pics though I take in my yard (on the ground) but the orange pine needle pics Ive been taking are the only "set" ones as of late. I need to do something different as well Im getting bored with it. One thing I do that does keep them still for a few moments is to bring their hide box outside with them and have them get in then pull it off and start snapping. For every decent pic I post here there are 15 or so others that are terrible. I feel Im getting better the more I do it so I think the other thing is just practice and alot of luck with the snake cooperating.

Keith

>>Keith, just wondering how you manage to take all the great photos of Easterns we see here? Mine seem more interested in taking off than posing. Is the background we see in your pictures a set or just outside? Seems like by the time I focus and shoot, all I get is a blurry shot of a snake halfway out of the frame. Is there a trick you use, or is it just trial and error? Anyone with a tip, let me know.
>>
>>Todd
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>>P.S. I know there's probably a herp photography forum out there, but I know the folks on this forum and see a lot of great shots here, so I decided to ask here.
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I use the Nikon COOLPIX 5700. But I have to admit that the more I use it the more I learn what the camera can do for me. Most snakes cooperate, and some don't and I try later (after they fed). Also, I know people don't like bothering their snakes during brumation, BUT that is a great time to get some good shots as well.

Kerby...

Also, I know people don't like bothering their snakes during brumation, BUT that is a great time to get some good shots as well.

I agree. My kings will NOT sit still when they are warm. But I can usually get then to when they are cooled. I don't take pics in the middle of their brumation but try to take them when I first start cooling them off. They are definitely one of the most frustrating photographic specimens I know of.