When Ted called out “get your camera, there’s a snake on the patio” I grabbed my gear that had the Tamron 180mm lens attached and went as far as the screened in porch. I’m sure I’ve mentioned I’m not really a snake fan. But it was back yard nature so I wanted to see.
By this time the snake had left the patio and zipped up a Crepe Myrtle. I waited for Ted to spot it and we were pretty sure it was a harmless Ribbon Snake, then I ventured out the porch door.
He was wrapped back on himself, lifted his head for a look around then stayed still for several minutes.
With the fixed 180mm lens I couldn’t get far enough back with a clear view to take him all in (ugg). A little breeze was moving a branch from a neighboring tree in and out of the frame.
A tighter crop after he had moved his head just a tad:
Standing on the porch with the door open I got a little different view, but still didn’t get his full tail.
About 20 minutes later we watched him slowly exit the tree and head back into the woods. Where I would like him to stay!
This was a great distance for that lens. Nice and crisp.
Snakes = distance 😝
You are not even close to the ‘Maine Girl’s’ reaction of a few years ago. 😂
😱
You did a great good in capturing the details of the snake, Ellen, without having to get as close as you would had to do with a shorter macro lens. I would have been tempted to move closer to get a headshot, but I think your instincts pushed you to move back to try to get a shot of the snake’s entire body.
I was about to remind you he was up in a tree, but now that I see how tall you are you just might have got that head shot 😁😁
Thanks, Mike. The snake seemed under some duress so I wanted to give him some space and I wasn’t interested in him dropping near me to get that head shot! Maybe next time.
beautiful photos! I’ve seen snakes curled before but not doubled back like this one.
Thank you! The pictures don’t really show it but he was about at the end of the limb. I had wondered if he would just let go and drop to the ground. Eventually his front got back passed his tail, pretty interesting to watch the movement.
You’re welcome, and I bet it was!
Isn’t it neat when nature comes to you? Great photos!
Yes, as long as it doesn’t try to come in the house! I suspect he was there to find lunch…we have, or had, toads and anoles. Thank you, Rebecca!
Very cool and beautiful shots, Ellen!
Thanks, Donna! Not my favorite subject but the tree shot was too good to pass up.
Excellent and interesting u-turn.
Thanks, Hans!
Back in my film days, I always shot with a 130mm prime. A great lens (technically a “portrait” lens), but I, too found that it was necessary to walk a hundred feet away to frame a subject sometimes. Loyal to Nikon, my DSLR came with a 55-200 zoom, and I bought a 55-300. I think I’d get a bit more brightness and a crisper image from a prime, but don’t want to give up the flexibility. (Occasionally, I need to switch to the 18-55 to fit stuff in or shoot landscapes).
The key lies in having two bodies, I think. (Not for you and I, I mean camera bodies.) Eventually, I’ll get a second body, probably the same model so controls will be easy and consistent. Then I can leave a good long prime bird lens on one, and zoom to my heart’s content on the other.
Paz
LOL, yes two camera bodies so you are ready for anything! Although some days recently a second human body might be useful, too.
I got a Sony mirrorless Alpha 6500 about three years ago to have a landscape lens ready without having to switch lenses or miss out on something flying by. And I wanted to explore the mirrorless camera world. I did carry both the Sony and Canon often, but I was never satisfied with the Sony. The buttons are too small for my not delicate fingers, too many button pushes to change focus area, and after using the Canon 7D for so long it just seemed wrong. I ended up using it less and less. So I recently traded all my Sony gear in and got a second used Canon 7D. I highly recommend having two of the same.
The idea was still to have a landscape and the zoom at the ready. Then a used Tamron 180mm became available. So, I still have to choose and will still be missing out on something. Actually that bothers me much less than it used to.
The 180mm prime does pretty well on what I’ve tried so far, and much better in lower light at a wider range of f/stops than my Canon 100-400 zoom, where even at 100mm I wouldn’t have gotten decent images of this full snake in the shade.