Bite Me!

Every 30 days the site administrators will pick a favorite macro or close-up image from the "Macro and Close-up Photography Gallery" to be featured on the front page of the www.photomacrography.com website.

Moderators: MacroMike, nzmacro, Ken Ramos, twebster, S. Alden

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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Bite Me!

Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

Image

This is the same speckled rattlesnake that I misidentified as a pygmy rattlesnake the other day. But instead of a glamor (no "U", sorry Ken and Danny!) shot, this one shows the venemous predator inside.

Dumb luck that his jaws barely fit inside my frame horizontally. I can't believe I got this shot. He was "yawning", not striking. Even so......Brrrr.....

Still behind glass. Thank goodness.

Speckled rattlesnake
Crotalus mitchelli
controlled situation
1/250th second @ f/18
ISO 160
flash as main light
hand held
Canon 1Ds, 50mm macro lens, and life-size adapter
Mike Broderick
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"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul.....My mandate includes weird bugs."--Calvin

(reposts on this site of my images for critique or instruction are welcome)

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S. Alden
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Post by S. Alden »

This is great MikeB. You sure are getting some nice images behind glass, something I find hard to do. This one is most impressive :D .
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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Yep, gotta agree with Sue, that is one impressive shot there Mike. Looks like front cover material to me. :D :D However I cannot help but to wonder...where is his little hangy down part in the back of his throat? :shock:
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Location: Umm....Could it be Oklahoma?

Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

S. Alden wrote:This is great MikeB. You sure are getting some nice images behind glass, something I find hard to do. This one is most impressive :D .
Well, you've figured me out Sue, I can't get a lie past you. These shots aren't behind glass, it was just me and the snake, mano a mano! With my 50mm macro lens in my hands, of course. :shock:

You believe me, right? :wink:
Mike Broderick
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"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul.....My mandate includes weird bugs."--Calvin

(reposts on this site of my images for critique or instruction are welcome)

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S. Alden
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Post by S. Alden »

MikeBinOKlahoma wrote:
S. Alden wrote:This is great MikeB. You sure are getting some nice images behind glass, something I find hard to do. This one is most impressive :D .
Well, you've figured me out Sue, I can't get a lie past you. These shots aren't behind glass, it was just me and the snake, mano a mano! With my 50mm macro lens in my hands, of course. :shock:

You believe me, right? :wink:
Yea, I believe you MikeB :roll: . Hey, you are good at this, no reflection at all. I always get flash back, or it is too dark for me to handhold the camera without using flash. KenR hit it on the head, this could be a cover image. Maybe win the Nature's Best contest :D .
Sue Alden
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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

I love my 50mm macro lens for these shots, if the subject is close to the glass. The key is to get the lens right up on the glass. The fact that the 50mm macro front glass is set back quite a bit in the lens body helps a lot too. I can do this with my 180mm if the subjects are back aways, but it is much more susceptible to flare than the 50.

I do use a macro flash, these places are always too dark for "natural" light.
Mike Broderick
_____________________________________________________________
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul.....My mandate includes weird bugs."--Calvin

(reposts on this site of my images for critique or instruction are welcome)

paul
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Post by paul »

Still snuggling up to the reptiles, Mike! This is an amazing shot, and excellent lighting. Did you use a diffuser on your macro flash? Enough light to get a background, and avoiding hot reflections. Great stuff.

All the best,
Paul
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Kenv
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Post by Kenv »

YUK - I would not like to be around this guy at dinner time! Very well done Mike.
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nzmacro
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Post by nzmacro »

What a moment, what a shot !!!.

One word and my favourite one Mike IMPACT, total impact M8t. The sort of shot I dream of. Spectacular perspective and timing, man this is superb IMO.

All the best up there Mike, wonderful shot. I'm jealous as all get out :D

Danny.

Laura
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Post by Laura »

How cool is this shot! Looks like he was re-aligning his jaws after a meal :) .Incredible timing and wonderful detail for something behind glass. Did you bounce the flash?
Nikon D70
18-70 kit lens
Nikkor 70-300
Sigma DG 105 macro
SB600 flash

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

This is just an awesome shot Mike, it captures or demands ones attention. :D One cannot help but to study it. I have to agree fully with Danny, it definitly has impact. I was noticing, just slightly up and to the right of the left jaw (image left) there appears to be a small opening or orfice at the back of its throat. If you can see what I mean, I wonder what that is? :D
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Kens Microscopy
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MikeBinOKlahoma
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Post by MikeBinOKlahoma »

I didn't have a diffuser, but did have two small flashes. I use a Canon MT-24, a macro flash with two small flashes you can swivel and reposition. I experiement with them in various positions (and sometimes they get knocked out of the position I put them in when I'm shooting against glass and bump into it!), but I believe for this shot I had both of them set at far left and right, and angled off-axis, so that the light wasn't direct. I think at least some light is reflected off of the stone in front of the snake which also helps a lot.

Ken, I know that many snakes have their airway (trachea?) modified so that they can continue to breath while swallowing prey, and my guess is that that is what we are seeing. I'd noticed it also.
Mike Broderick
_____________________________________________________________
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul.....My mandate includes weird bugs."--Calvin

(reposts on this site of my images for critique or instruction are welcome)

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Hi ya' Mike :D

Yawning or striking, this rattlesnake looks menacing :!: :shock: I've run across these several times in the deserts in Arizona. After I see one I kind of walk above the grass. :D Great image and thanks for sharing this with us.

Best regards as always, :D
Tom Webster
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Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

paul
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Post by paul »

Congratulations, Mike, this is well-deserved recognition. A stunning shot. And thanks for the guided tour through the world of reptiles!

Best wishes,
Paul
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S. Alden
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Post by S. Alden »

Congrats Mike B. This images is absolutely stunning and most deserving of the pick :D
Sue Alden
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