Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus); Florida Everglades

-- Steve Kaufman (skphoto@xyz.net), April 06, 1999

Answers

Wow! I think you're on to something good. The undulating snake and the undulating leaves work for me. Even though you have not left the snake "looking room" in the frame, I think it's ok because he seems to be looking back at me. I would most definitely lose the vertical stem running along the right hand side to make this a great nature image.

-- Mike Green (mgprod@mindspring.com), April 06, 1999.

Interesting subject, superb composition!

-- Larry Korhnak (lvk@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu), April 06, 1999.

You`re cheating Steve... that one must be stuffed or plastic :-) Seriously, I wonder how long have you been lying there till he posed for you like this. Wonderful.

-- David Rypal (export@applet.cz), April 07, 1999.

Another excellent image. I agree with Mike about the stem on the right edge though. I would either crop it or include a bit more to its right. The way it borders the image is a bit annoying. Perhaps cropping is the only option now.

-- Shun Cheung (shun@worldnet.att.net), April 07, 1999.

Really, a wonderfully composed image of an animal in its habitat.

-- Edward C. Nemergut (ecnemerg@iupui.edu), April 07, 1999.

This is one of the best snake pictures I've seen. Regarding the exposure: were you lucky, good, or bracket? (I'm guessing lucky & good.) Any more light and you would have lost an unacceptable amount of detail on its yellow belly and any less light would have detracted from the overall image.

-- Chris Hawkins (peace@clover.net), April 07, 1999.

Great composition. I share the opinion that this is one of the best snake shots I can recall of late. Good work!

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), April 07, 1999.

Superb! Beautifully composed and exposed. The way the snake's form is echoed in the leaves is wonderful. I like the soft green colours and the mottled out of focus background.

-- Chris Breeze (chris.breeze@iname.com), April 08, 1999.

Thanks for all the kind comments. Actually, I found this snake on a small bush; the background was too busy for good photos, so I improvised. Both the tail of the snake and the fern are in my left hand, a MF 55mm Macro lens & camera were in my right. I don't remember exposure details except it was shot on KR64 (it was 23 years ago...when I was just getting started in the crazy business of photography!). Considering that, I'd have to say the shot was "lucky"!

-- Steve Kaufman (skphoto@xyz.net), April 08, 1999.

Steve, you were holding the tail of the snake in your left hand when this picture was taken? Boy, did it turn around and bite you?

-- Shun Cheung (shun@worldnet.att.net), April 09, 1999.