Anyone know the origin of this picture?

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RenoBart
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Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by RenoBart »

Someone sent this to me at work today. The caption read, "Photographer bitten by Black Mamba during photoshoot"

http://i.imgur.com/qE3mLZh.jpg

Bart
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Dr. Dark
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Dr. Dark »

I am pretty certain I read it is this guy who was bitten while photographing the snakes for his book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141970 ... UTF8&psc=1
His book comes out this week.
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RenoBart
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by RenoBart »

Yup! That's it! I knew someone on here would know!

Thanks - Bart
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Andy Avram
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Andy Avram »

A news article said he didn't realize he was bitten until he developed the pictures the next day. Said it was a dry bite. Dry or not, I notice when a garter snake bites me, besides it usually bleeds. How to you take any bite from a snake that big and not know it?
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Antonsrkn »

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/01 ... -next-day/#

If you type "photographer bitten by black mamba" into google a bunch of articles pop up. Yeah I'm with Andy on this one, I know it can happen quickly but how do you not even notice getting bit??

Also the articles say that a bite from a mamba is 100% fatal if it injects venom, I'm skeptical. Anyone know the facts on this one, or do they mean if left untreated or what?
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RenoBart
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by RenoBart »

Andy Avram wrote:A news article said he didn't realize he was bitten until he developed the pictures the next day. Said it was a dry bite. Dry or not, I notice when a garter snake bites me, besides it usually bleeds. How to you take any bite from a snake that big and not know it?
I just read (probably the same article) here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... snake.html

And I was thinking the exact same thing. I mean, I know snakes are fast and all, but like you, when you get tagged, you know it. Also, given the type of snake he was shooting, you would *think* he would have had an assistant/handler there with him, possibly more than one, who would have witnessed the bite. Not to mention, the fact that he has a photograph of it, you would think he would have known it was THAT close to his VERY unprotected flesh. I dunno, the story sounds dodgy, however the photo is interesting.

Bart
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RenoBart
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by RenoBart »

Antonsrkn wrote:100% fatal
Yes, sounds like sensationalism at its finest. Probably should read, 100% fatal if left untreated.

Bart
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cpr727
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by cpr727 »

One of the reasons that Black Mamba bites are considered 100% lethal is because in most places where bites occur are very rural, hours and hours away from any hospital let alone a hospital with anti-venom. When I was in Kenya, I heard of many accounts of people getting bit by Mambas and Only living a half hour at most. Of course there are sensational stories out there but in parts where most bites occur they are pretty much 100% fatal.
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Chris Smith
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Chris Smith »

Andy Avram wrote:A news article said he didn't realize he was bitten until he developed the pictures the next day. Said it was a dry bite. Dry or not, I notice when a garter snake bites me, besides it usually bleeds. How to you take any bite from a snake that big and not know it?
I read an article that said that was a "misquote"... leave it to the media. ;) The photographer corrected the article by saying he didn't realize he had managed to get a photo of being bitten until the next day.

-Chris
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chrish
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by chrish »

Chris Smith wrote: The photographer corrected the article by saying he didn't realize he had managed to get a photo of being bitten until the next day.
So you want me to believe that a live Black Mamba has gotten out of control while you were photographing it, dropped/moved down to wrap around your bare legs, and your first reaction is to point the camera down there, focus, and take a photo?

Sorry, but I call BS on this one.
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monklet
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by monklet »

Is that even a black mamba? Head looks right but don't recall seeing any pics of an ashy gray form. They're not named for their color but for the mouth lining.
WW**
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by WW** »

The snake is a black mamba alright...

Here is a link to the story according to the photographer with some additional notes and thoughts.

http://strangebehaviors.wordpress.com/2 ... ack-story/

There was a discussion of this on Harry Greene's Facebook wall where people who had worked with the photographer reckoned that the described scenario is plausible.

I guess my take is that either the mamba was a venomoid or its owner was criminally irresponsible....
jimoo742
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by jimoo742 »

Some say I'm cynical, but just sounds like some book promotion work (gorilla marketing style).
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RenoBart
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by RenoBart »

Yeah, something still doesn't smell right to me. Anyone with a shred of sanity that was tagged by any hot snake, would take him/herself to a freakin' ER and get checked...

Either way, interesting, and thanks for the replies.

Bart
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natrix
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by natrix »

Book promotion for sure. He would have felt the bite and any sane person would go to the ER immediately.
scott s
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by scott s »

I bet WW is correct and the mamba was a venomoid and he did this stunt to help sell books.
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Scott Waters
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Scott Waters »

Take it to the bank.....VENOMOID. WW nailed it. Done. End of story. Over.

Or just google "total douche expects morons to believe him" and his book will come up for sale on amazon. :)

scott
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Indafield
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by Indafield »

The white shorts give it away...venomoid
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CCarille
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Re: Anyone know the origin of this picture?

Post by CCarille »

I actually picked up this book....

The introduction by Vollmann (not the author) also comments on him being bit and says that "it must have been a dry bite" which would imply that the snake was not venomoid. It wouldn't make much sense to sensationalize the anecdote or advertise it in the book if it were simply done to increase notice. I tend to think that they just weren't smart working with the animals... why wasn't someone else there helping with handling, why was he wearing shorts, in the book it says he accidentally hooked a cable instead of the snake while trying to move it?, How would you not have seen the snake biting you (in front of you or through the camera)?!

Anyways, the book itself has some beautiful images... really fantastic shots.

Only three criticisms:
- too much free space in the book (an "artistic" move)
- I would have liked to have seen some shots showing portraits (almost all are top down profiles... another "artistic" move)
- the book, intro and design, reminds me of the Chanel #5 commercial with Brad Pitt... haha... couldn't get that commercial out of my head while reading the intro. I'm not a hillbilly that can't appreciate fine art, I even have a good amount of philosophy under my belt (one class away from a third BS degree) - I mention philosophy because that's were some of the quotes lead, but there is just something about it that rubs me the wrong way.

Overall, well worth it for the photos (I paid <$25 for it on B&N) alone.... a nice piece to add to a collection. *BTW, coffee table sized book
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