Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I can't seem to take that good of pics of my gal.Is there a lighting secret?Is natural light better? Ash Lopez

Here's the best that I could do.

THANKS.....
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Outside, around 3PM, in the shade

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Dave Lee

Outside in the shade is the best bet but also close up works very well if you don't mind not getting all of the snake

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Matt Lerer
'Ghi Reptiles'
'Ghi Arboreals'

Instead of having my dial on normal picture mode. I dialed it to the little pic of the sun behind the subject and took the pic indoors. I don't get out as it's too miserably hot here for me regardless of cloud or shine, so I have to wonder what that setting would do outside as well. It did pick up more natural colors indoors though.
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What kind of camera do you have? I have a Kodak and it has the icon you're talking about but it's for night pics. Is that the same as what you're using?

I noticed there's a big delay after the flash so I need to dig out my tripod since my pics are coming out blurry in that mode.

I have a Nikon. well I have two Nikons..My Nikon 775 has the sun behind the man setting, my 4800 only has the star behind the man..I'm kind of bummed about that, since I switched cameras with my husband (775 is easier to use)and now have the 4800. Are you sure you are using the pic with the sun behind the man and not the star behind the man? Star behind the man is for a night shot..can't think our cameras would be that different...but, I've never used a Kodak.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

if your camera doesn't have that setting, you can try playing with the white balance (probably in the menu) function. I set mine to cloudy - the colors really popped out them...perhaps too much, but every camera is different, can't say what it would do with yours. While you are there, you can try the different white balance setting just to see what they do, and see if a different setting works better with your camera.

If that doesn't work...your easiest bet would be to do as Ryan (TopNotch) suggested and use a piece of tissue over your flash.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

Something I'll try is putting the subject by a window out of dirrect light when the sun has that warm "setting" blow. This getts some nice pics! It helps having a nicer camera to, mine is middle of the road.

For a start, alot of the picture hosting services seem to make your nice quality pics come out looking not soo nice, and albino's always look different with or without a flash. indoors or out.

not good quality, but it shows that you need practice (I DO) to get good ones

When you take a picture your camera "Meters" the shot (That is, determines exposure, exposure is the "lightness levels" so to speak).

When you have an albino in the frame it is metering for everything around the albino, as well as the albino. What tends to happen is the camera decides to meter the shot to high causing overexposure, which makes the snake look too white. It blows the highlights.

Most cameras have an exposure setting, it will normally look like a /- sign. Figure out how to turn it down a bit and underexpose the shot. The background may come out a bit dark but at least the detail of the snake will be there.

Another important aspect is lighting. In the outdoors, overcast lighting simply does not work for me. What has worked is the shade when it is very sunny out. Try different times of day when the sun is slanted at different angles. Indoors with flash, if the snake is coming out overexposed, try underexposing using the /- feature and also back up so that the flash is further away from the snake. You could also try taping a piece of tissue or something over the flash to soften it. With some cameras you can even control the flash output (turn it down).

In the shade on a sunny day:

With Flash inside:

n/p
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as said, they come out the best that way not the best camera either ...