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A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 5:23 pm
by chrish
I was looking at some of the shots on some recent FHF posts and started wondering what it takes to create a sense of place. So here's the challenge...find a photo that "says" a particular place.
It isn't just a herp-in-habitat shot, but one that anyone who looks at it (and knows the general part of the country/world) will say that it is a typical representative shot of that area.

Here's an example of what I mean. This shot just screams quiet South Texas farm road to me -

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Anybody else have shots that capture the essence of a specific region? (No cheating by including road signs, etc!)

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 7:10 pm
by MHollanders
Chris,

I'm not completely sure if you also mean typical habitat for a species. For example, this shot pretty clearly screams petrified wood of northern Arizona.

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However, I think this is more what you're looking for. This is a shot of a typical Dutch canal with cultivated fields and planted trees in the background.

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Later, Matt

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 7:14 pm
by herpseeker1978
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Josh

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 9:27 pm
by Antonsrkn
Interesting idea, I have a few that I feel qualify.
Morelets Croc in Mexico, you can see some buildings in the background and perhaps a few people on here will even recognize them.
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Chris, I know you're familiar with the area, is this the type of shot you meant?

Green sea turtle in Hawaii, the black volcanic sand beach is the dead giveaway.
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And another one, i feel like this shows a typical rainforest scene with an eyelash viper. Perhaps looking at it one couldn't narrow it down to specifically Costa Rica but I'm sure one would know that it is from central America.
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Wish I hadn't screwed up my settings when photographing this.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 16th, 2010, 12:32 am
by Ross Padilla
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 16th, 2010, 6:01 am
by Jason B
Cool post idea - I love these types of shots. Here's a few:

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western pond turtle in southern California stream

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eastern coachwhip in Florida scrub

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cottonmouth in Florida swamp

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 17th, 2010, 6:03 am
by brick911
This is probably gonna be an area I try to improve in and concentrate on next year. In the meantime, I'll see what I have. Cool topic, Chris!

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 17th, 2010, 2:23 pm
by chrish
These are all great. You look at these shots and you understand where they were. Maybe not exactly where, but you know the general spot.
For some (like the croc), I know exactly where you were standing!

I think the goal is to find a "typical scene" for a particular area. It isn't about typical habitat for an animal so much as a shot of an area with a typical animal the way you would find it.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 17th, 2010, 4:25 pm
by herpseeker1978
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Josh

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 12:02 pm
by Mike Waters
one of my most favorite places
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 3:11 pm
by MHollanders
herpseeker1978 wrote:Image

Josh
Was that in situ? Awesome situation you have there...

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 3:44 pm
by aliceinwl
A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 6:51 pm
by justinm
Chris, this is an outstanding idea. I'm jealous of such amazing pics guys. I think I will make an attempt at this style on occasion now. To everyone these are very inspiring shots, keep them coming.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 7:39 pm
by herpseeker1978
MHollanders wrote:
herpseeker1978 wrote:Image

Josh
Was that in situ? Awesome situation you have there...




Uhhh yeah of course that was in situ, "harassing" a snake in a national park is illegal. ;) ;) ;)

Josh

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 22nd, 2010, 12:19 am
by Jason Mintzer
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 23rd, 2010, 2:56 pm
by Tim Borski
Being endemic, these surely give sense of place.

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And then, there is a world famous road in south Florida that thousands have cruised after dark for herps.

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 23rd, 2010, 3:27 pm
by Bill Love
Here's a favorite of mine (from the pre-crash era) of a recreated scene in southern Georgia. It was set-up with one of a pair of chain kings Lampropeltis getula getula found minutes earlier about 20 feet to the left of where this was taken. Three other DORs of the same species were seen that day within about 30 miles of this spot too....
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Hey, what is that crossing the road in the post above this one?

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 23rd, 2010, 8:03 pm
by aliceinwl
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 23rd, 2010, 9:36 pm
by Robert Hansen
[quote="aliceinwl"]A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

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I appreciate that these shots take a lot of work, and often just don't work. But this Uma shot is just exceptional. How did you light the scene?

Cheers,

Bob

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 24th, 2010, 12:09 am
by aliceinwl
Thanks Bob! This was my first outing with a dSLR so I was pretty much "monkey see, monkey do" with my more experienced friends. To shoot the lizard, we waited until late afternoon when the light started to mellow and then took turns holding those reflective disks for one another to reflect more light onto the scene. I was also using a single on-camera flash for fill.
Alice

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: November 30th, 2010, 2:26 pm
by David Tobler
Mike Waters wrote:one of my most favorite places
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I think that's Chucky Manson's house in the background.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 1st, 2010, 2:44 pm
by Christopher
Tim, that snake in t :thumb: he last shot is a real beauty.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 1st, 2010, 2:55 pm
by J-Miz
aliceinwl wrote:A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

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These three photos are all FANTASTIC. Thanks for sharing these :thumb:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 13th, 2010, 10:41 am
by Bryan Hamilton
I've posted this before:

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You all have some outstanding photography skills. I really like the Uma on sand dune photo.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 19th, 2010, 8:19 pm
by Saunders
This one right here to me very well portrays a Texas Hill Country creek.
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These two just shout Eastern Colorado plains to me.
Although this one is not a herp.
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This one is.
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This one also screams Texas Hill country creek.
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And I would say that this one shows a quiet Texas house..... but the Veiled Chameleon that we found just sorta ruins the mood.
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 19th, 2010, 9:06 pm
by MHollanders
East Texas mixed woodland.

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: December 20th, 2010, 12:21 am
by Nick Scobel
Cottonmouth on Snake Road
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Kingsnake at an abandoned barn in Illinois
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Blue Racer at an abandoned home site in Michigan
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Wood Turtle from Northern Michigan
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Eastern Massasauga from a grassland in southeast Michigan
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Eastern Box Turtle found along a powerline cut in western Michigan
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Northern Leopard Frog in a lakeside pool in Ontario
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Smooth Green Snake in alvar habitat in northern Ontario
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: January 17th, 2011, 4:44 pm
by Chris Ivins
Tim were the Boa's at the deering estate? Am I missing something? Those are morphs...

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 19th, 2011, 8:26 pm
by Jason_Hood
Only one that I have that screams a location, taken with a point and shoot... need to do it again with the DSLR

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Jason

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 20th, 2011, 7:48 am
by J-Miz
Awesome, Jason! I wish that thing was crawling when I visited a couple years back.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 20th, 2011, 10:07 am
by Erik Williams
looks familiar...
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 20th, 2011, 8:15 pm
by justinm
Did you guys find a Milk there on the North Entrance of Levee Road? Was this staged? Doesn't matter those bluffs are unmistakeable but I've only seen red ears on that piece of road.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 20th, 2011, 8:40 pm
by soulsurvivor
This is the best I got......a broadheaded skink near the east coast of Florida:
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Second best......one of the many canals in the everglades area:
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 20th, 2011, 11:05 pm
by Erik Williams
the shot was staged, but the snake was found right there AOR. I've found pretty much every large snake species on that road.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 21st, 2011, 5:39 am
by crocdoc
Do video stills count? Typical herper shot of Crotalus helleri on a lonely road in California. I like the flung open doors on the truck, the words "Snake! Snake!" still hanging in the air...
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A few frames later
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Red-bellied blacksnake Pseudechis porphyriacus by the chookhouse (henhouse)
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Eastern bearded dragon Pogona barbata looking for a place to lay eggs, roadside in NSW, Australia
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Probably not suitable for this thread, but I like the 'habitat' and that there's a pair in the photo (taken in situ). Fence lizards Sceloporus occidentalis on an actual fence.
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Same species, more natural habitat
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S. magister higher up the slopes.
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Stopping to stretch the legs in jump-up country, central Queensland, Australia. Lophognathus burnsi looking on.
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Chlamydosaurus kingii in typical habitat of skinny, charred trees and termite mounds in northeastern Queensland
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Varanus panoptes that didn't make it across the road quickly enough in the Northern Territory
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Healthier one in central Queensland. Typical central Queensland countryside, bar the water.
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Varanus varius in a picnic ground, NSW, Australia
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Same species on stone wall at a scenic lookout, Sydney, NSW
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Typical savannah on the island of Rinca, Indonesia, with one of the inhabitants.
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Close-up of above
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 26th, 2011, 2:11 am
by StephenZozaya
I love the lacie on the lookout, Dave. That lookout is where I saw my very first goanna with you back in '08. I also like the shot of the Burn's dragon with the 4wd in the background. Good stuff.

Stephen

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 30th, 2011, 8:11 pm
by Saunders
Blotched watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa)
South/ Central Texas Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe.
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Red Ear Slider, same area, dry creek bed.
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Ornate Tree Lizard, enchanted rock.
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RES, tributary of the Guadalupe.
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Texas Spiny Lizard, sense of place? It ran up my freaking pantleg.
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 30th, 2011, 9:00 pm
by justinm
I just recently took this one, and thought it would fit. This is a Western Ribbon Snake.

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This is a "Shawnee King" from just outside of the Snake Road area.

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: May 31st, 2011, 6:16 am
by mikemike
justinm wrote:I just recently took this one, and thought it would fit. This is a Western Ribbon Snake.

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If nothing else, that's a great habitat shot, Justin

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 2nd, 2011, 5:59 am
by huggorm
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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 6th, 2011, 7:38 pm
by Schell
Crotaphytus insularis - Isla Angel de la Gurada, Baja California.

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 8th, 2011, 9:21 am
by rtdunham
A sad one, but one I'm sure is familiar to all of us. (In this case, an Eastern Milk, Boone Co., KY)

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 8th, 2011, 1:37 pm
by DMong
Some Black Racers (Coluber c. priapus) in steamy central east coast of Florida.

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one bolting away as he saw me.....

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another one cruising the fence line for some tasty brown anoles

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 13th, 2011, 2:19 pm
by Bill Love
I really like Rob Schell's shot of Crotaphytus insularis . That's approaching perfection in the Grismeresque image style!

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 13th, 2011, 8:44 pm
by justin caaz
my contribution......

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anyone else been here?

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Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Posted: June 23rd, 2011, 1:40 pm
by Jamie D
I found this Painted Turtle digging a nest near this observation platform.

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Painted Turtle