53 – Coiled
What better exemplifies this scene than a snake? We found this little feller crossing the road in Northern AZ so we stopped to take his picture. My buddy who is a reptile guy says he is either a Prairie Rattler or a young Arizona Black Rattlesnake (as they are not black until they are mature and this was a little guy). Hubby thought it was a sidewinder because that’s how it moved but my reptile guy says most young/small rattlesnakes move that way. I decided to forego a longer exposure, trying to get his rattles blurred because he was moving so much, and as luck would have it my quick shutter caught his tongue out. I know I look like I’m up in his face but this was with 300mm zoom. :)
I intended to do nothing but crop this because it was great. The colors were nice and everything was the way I liked it. Then, just because, I started playing with Topaz Adjust and of all things the recover highlights preset really made it crazy beautiful.
This is a stunning photo, and you have captured the details perfectly.
August 19, 2011 at 2:35 am
Wonderful detail. There is no way I would get that close to any snake. Yikes!
August 19, 2011 at 6:20 am
WOW!…that’s EASILY close enough for me
Nice the way he almost disappears into the background.
August 19, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Beautiful details in this guy and I love that little tongue…but, way too close for comfort for me!
August 20, 2011 at 6:21 am