Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife is a photographer and I have been asking her to take picture of our snakes for some time now. I came home Monday and she had built a 'mini' studio. She did take many photos but took a few of each snake.

What I find the most amazing is what someone with the education and know how can do on Adobe CS4....these are the same pictures. Just one was the original picture and the other has been 'cleaned up' as my wife puts it. Crazy.

Top photo is one I took a few weeks ago.
Middle photo has been 'cleaned up'
Bottom photo was the original photo before cleaning

-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
2.1 Rufescens SB
1.1 Albinos SB
0.1 Dodoma SB
0.1 Normal (yellow) SB
1.0 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

Here's a link to some of the other photos she took and cleaned.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/search.php?user=159721&subcat=6372&si=-1

Does anyone have any tips for future picture sessions? It was nice not having to worry about them blinking or not smiling!
-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
2.1 Rufescens SB
1.1 Albinos SB
0.1 Dodoma SB
0.1 Normal (yellow) SB
1.0 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

I assume your wife as a digital SLR, and if so I usually shoot herp photos with an f18-f22 to get a good depth of field. You will need good lighting and/or a flash.

-Chris
-----
Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps

Thanks Chris, I don't understand all this F'in stuff but she said she shot it on a 6 and will try those higher numbers on the next shoot.

She has a Canon 50 D....and said something about flash/apature and then I said 'I don't care, stop.'....lol.

I'll give her your email address if she wants to ask questions, just remember she comes with the kids .
-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs
2.1 Rufescens SB
1.1 Albinos SB
0.1 Dodoma SB
0.1 Normal (yellow) SB
1.0 Anery SB
0.1 Snow SB
0.1 Splash Albino SB
1.0 Splash Anery SB
1.0 Orange Stripe SB
0.1 Bengal Tiger SB
3.2 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
X.X Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

The best photos have the snake's head facing the camera. I like to use rocks and dirt for background for a more natural look. I turn my flash to it's highest setting so I can use the highest F stop to get as much as possible in focus. I've tried a diffuser but it takes away from the depth of field. Good luck and keep them coming.

The originals are a bit flat, but that "improved" one is a little past reality in my opinion.

One thing that would help your originals is to use the background to set the white balance. In Photoshop, there is a "Remove Color Cast" option. Take that eyedropper and click on the background. It will make it white and brighten up the snakes considerably. Then maybe increase the contrast a little (don't go crazy here) and your animal photos will look like they do in life.

Chris
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas