Common lizard (UK) Lacerta vivipara

[Stuart Philpott]

Something a little different....someone that is doing ok here ,but very very few see. This is the most northern European lizard.It's one of only two natives to the uk if you don't include the slow worm ,which is legless. I owe a huge dept of thanks to some friends, Mark and Ruth for sharing these with me. The chance to just spend some time watching was fantastic to actually have a go at three different subjects image wise somewhat surreal. Guys i'm a bit of a nut about reps and phibs,we have a room full of frogs here. To emaphsise I think I have been lucky enough to see these three times in my life before this,they can be very very tricky to catch up with. I switched to silent during this shoot as the shutter noise was evident to them,they are not properly warm yet ,but so alert.What really stunned me was tail length,none of the guys we saw had ever lost their tail we both found it remarkable how much of them is actually tail. They are also live bearers in most populations,the thought of maybe seeing some kids in the summer is somewhat beguiling

I feel I should have gone much further on the f,my hopes are that this family might be seen again,there is a definite little hotspot at this time. so that is in place if the chance comes again. I pushed the shutter up as movements are fairly fast,but also that flicking tongue,not present here I hoped to capture.These chances if they do come will,I suppose almost always be in pretty high contrast light,the heat of the sun is all here,that is what they are responding too. Histogramme is blown at both ends,any thoughts on potential ways of better tackling the light that would be the nature of this type of shot,very welcome. Image is as framed ie full frame active focal point surrounds the eye
Canon 1Div 300f ext 2xiii actually off my tripod,not really adequate but just about ok when down low.

1/1600
f11
iso1600

Thanks for the previous thoughts on my efforts so far.

Have a fab weekend

stu

[haseeb badar]

Hi Stu -- What a lovely creature and i think you have done quite well in getting the image. It must have been really tricky in framing the shot but by getting low you have made this image more pleasing . The settings are busy but for me it shows the environment and thus works for me in this case . I liked this one .

TFS !

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Stu, like Haseeb says, well done on getting this, your perseverance certainly paid off.

I think if you were closer (if possible) you may have found yourself needing even more DoF, (try using the DoF preview button) as I found this with Land Iguanas shooting with the 300f/2.8 at f/22 many years ago, so pulling back probably/may have helped, but then you are into cropping??? I like the framing, buy might have cropped a bit tighter. Regarding the Histogram, it depend on how clipped the Histogram is, if you have a few blinks to the RHS you may be able to address it in PP, if it's clipped on the LHS depending on the ISO, again you could lift things, perhaps. Yes it is at times a balancing act, and only in the field can you make that judgement call I would say. I don't think a little clipping here is a big issue.

I really like the curve/sweep of the body and that 'beady' eye keeping an eye on you. The rock above I think is a tad dominated and so cropping may help, likewise I find the yellow a bit much, just my take., although as you were there you know better the colours. I would when the weather breaks, go out again on the search for these, nice to see a Lizard.

TFS
Steve

PS Try a cable release to above any additional camera shake

[Gabriela Plesea]

Well done Stu, always exciting to see something different from you!

BTW you just reminded me about a few recent lizard shots I forgot about... will share soon:)

I like the image design here and space around the subject. Colours look good, as much as I can tell from my laptop. Would have been really nice to have more DoF.

Great pose and I especially like the alertness and inquisitiveness you have captured from the subject. As well as seeing its environment.

This works for me Stu, I hope you have more where this came from

PS Steve is right about the cable release. I used it successfully a number of times but it seems these days I keep forgetting to take it along

Have a wonderful afternoon, thank you so much for sharing,

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Stu - Great to see something different and congrats on getting these. Agree on more dof and I would love to see more of the long tail you described in your intro. The curve of the body is very nice here and I like the way the lizard seems to be coming out of the space under the rock. I understand from your description that you were handholding ("off my tripod") so the cable release would not have helped. I do recommend it or a remote with the tripod. With these types of varied bg of bright rocks and darker leaves, it is more important to expose properly for the actual subject and then hopefully whatever blacks are choked and highlights blown are in the habitat rather than on the subject.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Sorry Stu, just quickly skim read the intro and tech and missed off tripod, so yes, it would not make sense to use a cable release unless you were on a tripod or stable platform like a kit bag.

[Stuart Philpott]

Guys,very brief,the biggest of thanks. I need to read all this properly and dijest ...there is much wisdom here,bless you all. Please forgive, very pressed. We have been chasing the dream when not living our animals non stop all weekend. I got to these again today,we have babies to share now,I so wish I could have read this before today,but I feel now more chances will come so there might just be a way to learn from all your kind words,even if I haven't got there today.

Thank you all so much please bare with me

stu

PS comunication error my bad so embabrasing, shot is taken from (which is what I meant by off, a tripod,not a good un but something sorry guys

[Stuart Philpott]

Guys thanks for the replies,I'll try and be as concise as possible.
Haseeb they are living in a cotswold dry stone wall ( a field wall built without mortar). This is the bkg it's incredibly difficult catching them away from this which also doubles as basking site and breeding by the seem of things,but there is some hope in the form of a small tree. which they do venture on to every now and again

Gabby i'd love to see some of your African Lizards,we have so few species here, like so many animals they are very special to me.Ahh wait till you see some little ones,i'm stunned that they have bred so early,unreal considering how cold and windswept the site is,but they do have a bit of a micro climate. It seems they have picked this spot quite carefully. I do tend to focus on subjects Gabby,I find I can learn more and hopefully one day tease better images,by knowing my subjects. Our wildlife is somewhat limited certainly compared with yours,but hopefully, in time, more of them will find their way here.I'm really hoping to catch up with foxes and badgers this year,doubtless time will be my biggest hurdle to overcome

Steve Rachel,cheers for the edit Steve I've got to watch this warmth/yellow. Guys my tripod is ok but not great I really wouldn't want to use it extended I was holding the lens to some extent in an effort to reduce vibrations,ie mirror slap etc,given the short comings of the tripod,would the cable release or remote definitely be the best option. If I had an adequate tripod it seems like a fantastic suggestion . Thank you both

I did up my DOF on our outing yesterday,we spent a few hours with them, before searching for hares.But haven't been able to evaluate anything yet I haven't even see all the images. But after getting some hopefully ok images ,again the chance was taken to evaluate techs.

I'm basically being confined by the min focus distance here,If things allow I'd really like to get some extension tubes,so I can get nearer. the lizards will be ok I feel with closer,the shutter noise might be a problem,but from what I've seen so far,as long as I show due care,I think there is scope to get a little nearer

Again thank you for the wonderful tips on the histograme,The white in the wall is part of my worry on blown hi lights second being the shiny scales of the subject,but I'm very grateful to both for the approach outlined. The Sun is what is bringing them out to bask,to I feel harsh hi contrast light might go hand in hand with images I make of them.

Steve my goal here is really not to crop if at all possible,when they are basking.Shots in motion and as the weather warms might be very very different,they are fast enough already. Finding ways of getting differing images BKG wise especially will be a challenge. The domninance of the wall, size of stones compared to subject is something for me to ponder,!! It will be interesting t see what happens as the weather warms,i'm in uncharted territory with these wonderful little chaps.

I'm so pleased you all found them interesting I'm so thrilled to have been given this chance/s,it's cool seeing your shared enthusiasm for a humble little lizard thank you

Cheers all

Stu