Excellent composition, image and exposure Steve.
I like the razor sharp details on the scales of your viper...and the eye contact is intense...:eek: Lets keep this little guy just where he is; behind a very thick glass...:D:p;):cool:
Steve, it's a stunning image but I think your point of focus is on the scales at the left and should be on the eye and nose. It's a little thing that you can perhaps fix with some selective sharpening because they are barely off...but it is a little noticeable.
For such tough circumstances I think you did an outstanding job. It's a beautiful snake (and I don't say THAT very often!)
Julie... I suspect the percentage of the population that EVER use the words "Beautiful" and "Snake" in the same sentence is pretty small. I think your are right on the focus... Unfortunately my post processing skills are limited to Lightroom for the moment... I have developed a sever PHOBIA around Photoshop as it looks TOO MUCH like the software I work on everyday and it took me years of working on that 8 hours a day to become proficient. I'll get over it... soon I hope.
I think you have done a very good job under difficult circumstances. Did you use a single point of focus or did you use auto.
I ask because I would have focused selectively (time permitting) on the eye, then on the nose, (hey do they have a nose or what? - perhaps I should say nostril) and then in between the two. The scales on the body are beautifully sharp, I would like to have seen the head equally sharp.
I suppose an alternative is to ask the zoo keeper to just alter the head angle a little but he may of course not oblige!!
I look forward to seeing more snake shots I know they are not easy subjects to capture.
Jon
I was using manual focus, hand supporting the lens was also resting on and adjusting distance from the glass enclosure (and subject). I took several images like this one. I'm going to go back through them more closely and see if there's not one in there that is better focused.
Yea.... I'll see if I can get a zookeeper to reach in there a adjust the head angle next time... Well... It'd be interesting to see his response anyway!
"..almost looks like its smiling!!" - I think that a smirk John... The snake is thinking to himself... "If you were on THIS side of the glass who'd be messin' with who buddy?!"
Thank you guys again for the feedback and encouragement!
Very cool image and I really like the in your face composition,,,,,,,snakes are indeed beautiful creatures. But the focus point does seem to be slightly off and I hope you have another frame with the eye as sharp as the farther scales.
Deadly Beauty
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