Snail

[Nancy Bell]

I have been going through some older files and found this. I know nothing about snails, but this one caught my attention as it was crossing a dirt road when I was bird-watching in Tanzania. I laid flat on the ground for this point of view. I didn't have to worry much about speed ! I don't have any more room in front, although I wish now I did.

Canon 20D (I did say older files), Canon 70-200 f2.8 @ 130mm, 1/200, f4, ISO 400.

[John Robinson]

Great stuff Nancy. Beautiful shell colours and body texture and both antenae in focus !! Would be fairly easy to stick some canvas on left if yoy needed to but no big deal.
JohnR
Good one.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Yes this is a very good shot to my eye. The distal end of the shell is just a tad soft but that does not bother me at all, the detail, colours and exposure look great.

[Mitch Haimov]

Excellent use of your limited DOF at f/4, Nancy. Textures of your subject against the wash of color BG works very well. Even the snails in Tanzania are more interesting than those here!

[Norm Dulak]

Very nice colors and sharpness, especially at f/4. If it were mine, I'd crop a little off the right side, which might create the impression of more canvas on the left. Maybe half way between the tip of the shell and the side. I might also crop off some of the oof space below. That would put the main body in better compliance with the ROT. But this is very nice as is.
And congratulations on your effort to get on a level plane with this interesting critter!

[Jerry van Dijk]

Very nice Nancy! I love the way the light accentuates the structures and colors. Norm already expressed my exact thoughts regarding the composition. Very well done!

[Nancy Bell]

Thanks all! Good suggestions regarding composition. My thought in using f4 was to keep any details in the bkgd blurred.

"And congratulations on your effort to get on a level plane with this interesting critter!" All mybird watching friends thought I was completely crazy to lay on the ground to photograph a snail!

[Norm Dulak]

All mybird watching friends thought I was completely crazy to lay on the ground to photograph a snail!

Well they were wrong, weren't they. You photographed your subject from the best possible perspective, and I'm impressed.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Nancy. Love the low shooting angle! The light really brings out the textures in the snail's body and shell and you captured them beautifully. I like Norm's and Jerry's thoughts about the comp - just tweaks to a fine image!