It's been too long since we've had an in situ theme thread..

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 2nd, 2014, 10:04 am

... so here's another one

Feel free to add for our viewing pleasure

Soopaman · Post by **Soopaman** » March 2nd, 2014, 10:18 am

Copper in December 2013:

Owen · Post by **Owen** » March 2nd, 2014, 10:55 am

Just to mix it up a little: Dicamptodon ensatus larva:

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 2nd, 2014, 1:24 pm

Better define what you mean by in situ again.

Otherwise you end up with a bunch of posed animals taken in "somewhat natural" habitats or even faked habitats.

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 2nd, 2014, 1:27 pm

Here's an in situ shot of a Spring Peeper.

I was standing thigh deep in freezing cold water on a 45° rainy day in a pair of jeans and wet tennis shoes.....just to get a peeper shot

.
(Actually, Peepers are an "exotic" species to me since I live at least 150 miles out of their range).

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 2nd, 2014, 1:56 pm

Any excuse to look at pretty photos is good for me!

A really simple shot but I like it.

Yellow Bellied Puddle Frog (Occidozyga laevis)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] ... 5325558134

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 3rd, 2014, 1:53 am

chrish wrote:Better define what you mean by in situ again.

Otherwise you end up with a bunch of posed animals taken in "somewhat natural" habitats or even faked habitats.

Hmmm... I was hoping I didn't have to but alright, here goes...

For the purpose of this thread I will define an in situ shot as any photography in which the subject has not been moved, handled or posed in any way. Nor have the surroundings been altered subsequent to the find for the purpose of obtaining a better photograph. This means that photos of baby herps with coins nearby most likely are not in situ. Photos of flipped animals otoh may very well be.

I know this definition is quite vague and leaves room for interpretation (e.g. is only natural light acceptable? (my answer: no)) but I don't really want to go into an extended discussion about the subject or spend too much time phrasing anything more exact and I think it should suffice in this context. If not, oh well...

Further, regarded as in situ shots for me the best are those where the animal shows no obvious reaction to the photographer's presence and no alteration of the surroundings has been necessary to find the animals (e.g. defensive postures and pictures of flipped animals are not particularly interesting from this perspective).

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 3rd, 2014, 10:16 am

I always like photos showing inter species interactions.

There isn't much interaction going on here beyond just sharing the same branch but i still thought it was cool.

justinm · Post by **justinm** » March 3rd, 2014, 10:21 am

Anton,

This was a pretty cool inter species interaction. It was in the Fall and getting cool, nights in the high 40's. These snakes are sitting out front of their den. They slipped away after the flash went off. Link to a bigger version. http://flic.kr/p/emaHhz

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 3rd, 2014, 11:10 am

No actual inter species interaction here but plenty of intra species interaction with at least the presence of a second species:

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 3rd, 2014, 3:36 pm

Antonsrkn wrote:Any excuse to look at pretty photos is good for me!

A really simple shot but I like it.

Yellow Bellied Puddle Frog (Occidozyga laevis)

That's really nice.

I have a similar shot of a different species -

Soopaman · Post by **Soopaman** » March 3rd, 2014, 3:40 pm

This is my favorite in-situ shot I've taken. I have another taken from the other side that doesn't have the foliage in the way and the face is better lit, but I didn't ever feel it had the character that this shot did. (Other shot, for reference)

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 4th, 2014, 8:16 am

OK, here's one from Botswana.

I actually spotted this smallish (6 feet?) Nile Croc in the vegetation just a few feet off shore where we were camped one night. Because of the angle of the croc and some obstructing tree branches, I couldn't light it myself so I convinced my cousin to come down to the water's edge to help me take a photo. I didn't dare tell her what I was photographing and she told me later she figured it was an owl or something. I made her hold the flash and fired the shot. After I felt confident I had a shot (this was in the days before digital where you got no immediate feedback), I pointed out the crocodile just a few feet off from where we were standing. She was less than pleasantly surprised

. I guess she had seen all those shows where the croc jumps out of the water and drags the struggling wildebeest into the river. This little guy was a few years from wildebeest dragging, but any rabbits that came for a drink were in for an unpleasant surprise!

Strangely, that's the last time my cousin agreed to come hold the flash for me?

Now that I think about it, there aren't many wild crocodilian shots that aren't in situ.

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 4th, 2014, 8:30 am

Another one in the water at night with flash - this one sans uneasy cousins.

monklet · Post by **monklet** » March 4th, 2014, 1:01 pm

Haven't really got a lot of honest in situs and this isn't a super image but it came to mind with the theme and it was one heck of a pretty Great Basin Gophersnake. I think it's a gravid female soaking up some morning heat on a 90F trail.

Here's a not so in situ photo of same (apologize for breech of theme).

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 4th, 2014, 4:03 pm

monklet wrote:Here's a not so in situ photo of same (apologize for breech of theme).

With an animal that beautiful, you would be doing us a disservice by not including another photo, posed or not. Wow!

monklet · Post by **monklet** » March 4th, 2014, 4:13 pm

chrish wrote:Wow!

Thx Chris ...that's what I said and I'm a hardcore Pituophis afficianado

I've only been to that locale once but aim to go back if the area ever gets rain. I'd love to know if that is typical of that area from anyone who goes there, but it's pretty remote. PM if interested.

Tom Lott · Post by **Tom Lott** » March 4th, 2014, 8:43 pm

Broad-banded Copperhead, Atascosa County, Texas

Soopaman · Post by **Soopaman** » March 4th, 2014, 8:51 pm

Token road rat:

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 4th, 2014, 10:25 pm

Anton,

This was a pretty cool inter species interaction. It was in the Fall and getting cool, nights in the high 40's. These snakes are sitting out front of their den. They slipped away after the flash went off. Link to a bigger version. http://flic.kr/p/emaHhz

Justin, that is a cool interaction, shows why in situ shots are valuable, if they were disturbed or manipulated theres no way that a shot like that could be captured.

Inter species interactions are awesome, but unfortunately I dont have many photos of that. So heres an in situ shot of a intra species interaction.
Giant River Frog (Limnonectes leporinus)

The male is in the fore front and female is in the background, if I recall correctly I had already photographed the female a few minutes prior and had switched to the male. The female was unable to resist such an eligible bachelor (the frog, not me!) and moved into the same area while I was observing the male.

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 4th, 2014, 10:53 pm

More anuran intra species interaction. I like the fact that the top male is calling while amplexed and struggling for the female with the second male.

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 5th, 2014, 8:45 am

Little grass frog (Pseudacris ocularis). Both this species small size (one of the smallest vertebrates on the planet) and its habit of calling from within dense grass make getting calling shots difficult. I was pretty happy to get some good shots (and video) of this guy after earning his trust by sitting in the water next to him for 15-20 mins.

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 5th, 2014, 11:53 am

Kevin,

That is pretty amazing. Those little buggers are hard to get staged photographs of, let alone an in situ.

Here's another grass caller I have struggled to get in situ photos of -

Gastrophryne olivacea

Soopaman · Post by **Soopaman** » March 5th, 2014, 3:07 pm

My only in situ of a non-reptile, a marbled sal/newt McDouble flip:

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 5th, 2014, 3:47 pm

This giant river toad was sitting next to a waterfall pretty high up on a steep slippery rock surface. I tried to figure out how I could get up there with my camera but couldn't figure out any good way. So I took my telephoto lens and snapped a few shots using that, the only time I have used a telephoto lens to photograph a toad, he wasnt going anywhere so I played around a little with various settings. This natural light shot was my favorite despite the heavy shadow underneath his face, but i kinda like the effect, he reminds me of a gargoyle. After finishing photographing him from below I stashed my camera gear and undertook the climb up to the toad and about halfway up the foothold I found wasn't adequate and I fell/slid off the rockface into the pool of water below and got a few bruises to show for my trouble. I did manage to get to the toad on my second attempt.

frogfish · Post by **frogfish** » March 5th, 2014, 11:01 pm

DSC_0880 by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr
In-situ dusky pygmy

DSC_0896 by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr
In-situ Everglades Racer

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 6th, 2014, 6:53 am

No rule without an exception I guess.

I wrote above that I prefer in situ shots where the animal doesn't visibly react to the photographer. Nonetheless I rather like this one even though I'm pretty sure the little guy is on to me

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 6th, 2014, 7:12 am

Not the greatest shots as the battle didn't last long, I had the wrong lens, the vegetation was thick, and the lighting was harsh (is that enough excuses?), but this was the coolest thing I witnessed in the field last year. The opaque individual had a clear size advantage and won this battle pretty easily, though I don't know how long it was going on before we arrived. There was another indigo snake (presumably a female) in the burrow closest to where this battle was taking place.

A very short video here, for those that may be interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kstohlgren ... likes_hd=1

Soopaman · Post by **Soopaman** » March 6th, 2014, 7:23 am

Very cool, Kevin! Indigos are always awesome and it's nice you were able to capture such an event. Even with harsh lighting the first photo looks great.

JAMAUGHN · Post by **JAMAUGHN** » March 6th, 2014, 9:09 am

Nothing says "in situ" like a big tangle of thorny brambles:

San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) Mating Ball by J. Maughn, on Flickr

Great thread, by the way. That Indigo battle is mind-boggling. What a thing to see!
JimM

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 6th, 2014, 4:45 pm

Andean Marsupial Frog (Gastrotheca riobambae)

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 7th, 2014, 4:54 am

Another bad photo but always a sight worth documenting and not something you want to disturb.

The subject is the same old friend as in the opening picture of the thread only this time she's blending genes with a suitor for the benefit of the next generation.

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 7th, 2014, 4:01 pm

Here are some more mating snakes. This was the second time I saw timber rattlesnakes mating last summer. The first time I spooked them before I spotted them as they were in dense vegetation, and the female quickly shot under a boulder. This time I was able to spot them from a good distance and was able to get plenty of photos without disturbing them.

Kevin Price · Post by **Kevin Price** » March 7th, 2014, 4:02 pm

Here's my latest find, a Rosy Boa Lichanura trivirgata. I was in Baja California east of Tecate about a week ago photographing some Native American rock art and did some exploring. Came across this coming out from under the rock. It never moved, except for its tongue, and everyone else with me got to shoot it. All were non-herpers but very interested. Was able to explain NAFHA and the database to them as well. I left it just I found it.

umop apisdn · Post by **umop apisdn** » March 7th, 2014, 6:24 pm

Plethodon yonahlossee from NC as it begins to emerge from its refuge at nightfall.

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 8th, 2014, 7:52 am

Great shots all around, I especially like that last Plethodon yonahlossee, its tough to photograph salamanders in-situ. I looked and I just have 3-4 images of gummy lizards that can qualify.

A quasi in-situ I didn't manipulate the salamander in any way but I did flip it, the sal didnt care and just continued about its business.

A purer in-situ where neither the sal nor its environment were manipulated by me.

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 9th, 2014, 4:18 am

I think this is my favorite photo from last year. This is probably just a day or two post-birth.

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 9th, 2014, 4:54 am

Stohlgren wrote:I think this is my favorite photo from last year. This is probably just a day or two post-birth.

I can see why. That is really neat photo. I didn't notice the baby at first until I read your description.

hellihooks · Post by **hellihooks** » March 9th, 2014, 6:41 am

As flipped...but you can't get any more interactive than this...

only snapped one shot, and left them to their business...

jim

Joshua Jones · Post by **Joshua Jones** » March 9th, 2014, 10:44 am

All of my best in situ shots last year were of turtles. The painted turtles were more difficult, due to their tendency to disappear when I was still a ways off.

Painted Turtle by crotalus_cerberus83, on Flickr

Painted Turtle by crotalus_cerberus83, on Flickr

This wood turtle was the exact opposite, though, and just kept on slowly making his way down toward the water source I was originally checking when my girlfriend spotted him.

Wood Turtle by crotalus_cerberus83, on Flickr

The Jake-Man · Post by **The Jake-Man** » March 9th, 2014, 1:15 pm

PA Eastern Newt

PA Wood Turtle

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 9th, 2014, 1:19 pm

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 10th, 2014, 5:30 am

chrish wrote:I can see why. That is really neat photo. I didn't notice the baby at first until I read your description.

Thanks, Chris. Here is a zoomed out view of that scene. There were at least six young, and the female on the right has not yet dropped hers.

chrish · Post by **chrish** » March 10th, 2014, 5:34 am

Here's an "as you spot them" in situ of a young Bogertophis subocularis on a road cut -

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 10th, 2014, 7:55 am

Not a great shot but sometimes in situ pics can be interesting as documentation of behaviour even when the photographic quality leaves something to be desired. Lytorhynchus diadema are nocturnal lizard hunters preying on Acanthodactylus lizards sleeping in their burrows. This one was found like this, located by following its tracks (which can be quite difficult when they make a huge messy criss cross of tracks as they try to pick up the scent of their prey).

It came up empty handed. The main survival strategy of the lizards is having several of burrows so the odds of a random burrow being in use on a random night are pretty slim.

yoloherper · Post by **yoloherper** » March 10th, 2014, 6:39 pm

I'll add to the mating behavior pictures with these racers found in a small oak tree

Antonsrkn · Post by **Antonsrkn** » March 10th, 2014, 8:29 pm

I'm loving all the behavioral shots that show off various pats of the lifecycle whether its vocalizing, breeding, hunting or whatnot. I think this is why in-situ shots are cool we dont get to see these behaviors once we disturb the animals.

An older shot of tungara frogs making their foam nest

krismunk · Post by **krismunk** » March 11th, 2014, 12:55 am

Another odd little piece of behaviour; normally viviparous lizards are exclusively terrestrial (as all other lacertids I can think of) yet we found this one like this, quietly chilling on the surface of a large pond. I have no idea what it was doing out there.

When I moved after taking this picture the little guy was startled and made a dive for it

Stohlgren · Post by **Stohlgren** » March 11th, 2014, 5:33 am

Ornate chorus frog. This species typically calls from grasses at the edge of wetlands but for some reason this individual was calling from an open, sandy, mud flat.

umop apisdn · Post by **umop apisdn** » March 11th, 2014, 7:26 pm

Greenish rat holding still, just outside of its stumphole.