I’m have not posted much this year, so I’m putting together a year end post of my top 20 subjects / favorite photos. It has been a great herping year. I have really enjoyed all of the people that I have herped with all over the South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the good ol’ USA. A few of these photos and specimens have already been posted, some have not. Here’s to 2014 which already got off to a great start as I’m just back from Peru again. I’ll get a post up when I have time. Thanks!
I’ll start in Baja. Hit the entire peninsula on two different trips this year.
Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata
Mexican Rosy Boa
Pituophis vertebralis vertebralis
Cape Gopher Snake
These were not in full breeding colors, but they were still spectacular.
Petrosaurus thalassinus
San Lucan Rock Lizard
I found this 6 foot monster at night with the tip of it’s tail out a hole.
Masticophis fuliginosus
Baja California Coachwhip
From southern Baja
Lampropeltis getula californiae
California Kingsnake
Bogertophis rosaliae
Baja California Rat Snake
Crotalus catalinensis
Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake
Bipes biporus
Always a welcome sight, from northern Baja!
Lampropeltis getula californiae
California Kingsnake
Phrynosoma blainvillii
Coast Horned Lizard
Here’s a couple from north of the border:
Chionactis occipitalis annulata
Colorado Desert Shovel Nosed Snake
Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca
Coastal Rosy Boa
Colorado:
Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis (or whatever they are going to call it now!)
Central Plains Milk Snake
And Wyoming:
Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata
Pale Milk Snake
One from the Caribbean
Ameiva exsul
Puerto Rican Giant Ameiva
From Peru January 2013:
Phyllomedusa tomopterna
Barred Monkey Frog
Dracaena quixensis
Northern Caiman Lizard
Epicrates cenchria
Peruvian Rainbow Boa
And my favorite herp from 2013!
Lachesis muta
Bushmaster
Also, MT Amazon Expeditions has a Facebook page now up and running. Check it out!
https://www.facebook.com/MTAmazonExpeditions
Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Moderator: Scott Waters
- Daniel D Dye
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Good show, Matt. The Bipes biporus is one freaky looking animal.
- umop apisdn
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Looks like a nice year in the field, and not stuck in any one place too much.
I gotta ask, since I've seen it elsewhere now. Is there anything specifically that made you decide to clone out the eye reflections on the Baja Cali Rat? I've tried it in my own photos before, but it always creates an awkward feeling for me. I understand how reflections are undesirable, but reflections from the eyes in most close shots of subjects are unavoidable, and at least for me lending a sense of something being off. I tend to get a lot of reflection based on the diffuser I use, and anytime I've tried to completely clone out reflections in the eyes, I end up deciding leaving the reflection is best.
I gotta ask, since I've seen it elsewhere now. Is there anything specifically that made you decide to clone out the eye reflections on the Baja Cali Rat? I've tried it in my own photos before, but it always creates an awkward feeling for me. I understand how reflections are undesirable, but reflections from the eyes in most close shots of subjects are unavoidable, and at least for me lending a sense of something being off. I tend to get a lot of reflection based on the diffuser I use, and anytime I've tried to completely clone out reflections in the eyes, I end up deciding leaving the reflection is best.
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Great photos of some great subjects Matt!
That getula is really interesting looking, especially the facial pattern.
That getula is really interesting looking, especially the facial pattern.
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
High quality subjects there Matt ..great images too. Thx:)
You might look at it like this ...the photo is an artifact in itself, especially if using strobe. Adding or removing an aspect of that artifact, as long as it doesn't misrepresent the subject, is morally and ethically ok by me ..and it makes for better and more compelling images.
Not to upstage Matt but I'd like to offer that I do that shamelessly ...and what's more, I will add catch light if missing. It can be a delicate operation to make it plausible though. ..kinda fun. Subjects without catch light are generally a dud.upmop apisdn wrote:Is there anything specifically that made you decide to clone out the eye reflections
You might look at it like this ...the photo is an artifact in itself, especially if using strobe. Adding or removing an aspect of that artifact, as long as it doesn't misrepresent the subject, is morally and ethically ok by me ..and it makes for better and more compelling images.
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Gorgeous finds, every single one of them. The CalKing has such an interesting pattern!
Bipes are top of my "lifetime" to see list!
Gorgeous gentilis!
Bipes are top of my "lifetime" to see list!
Gorgeous gentilis!
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
^I second that statement.Zach_Lim wrote:Bipes are top of my "lifetime" to see list!
- Joshua Wallace
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Stunning animals and photos. The Bushmaster is incredible.
- Mike VanValen
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Great stuff all around, but that rainbow boa is stunning!
- socalherper
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Very Pictures Matt. Thanks for sharring. I am loving those baja Ratsnakes!
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Cool images.
The milksnakes would both now be Lampropeltis gentilis.
The kingsnakes are Lampropeltis californiae.
The caiman lizard is Dracaena guianensis. I think there was probably some kinda typo or bad optical character recognition there.
The coastal rosy boa is probably Lichanura orcutti - L.trivirgata only occurs in southern San Diego county inland from the coast.
Bipes have also long been on my "hit list"!
The milksnakes would both now be Lampropeltis gentilis.
The kingsnakes are Lampropeltis californiae.
The caiman lizard is Dracaena guianensis. I think there was probably some kinda typo or bad optical character recognition there.
The coastal rosy boa is probably Lichanura orcutti - L.trivirgata only occurs in southern San Diego county inland from the coast.
Bipes have also long been on my "hit list"!
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Some great shots here Matt! Looks like you had a great year, G. Merker
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
I suspect Matt typo'ed "quixensis" for the caiman lizard because a common Peruvian herp that we saw frequently on that trip is Oreobates (Ischnocnema) quixensis.FrogO_Oeyes wrote:The caiman lizard is Dracaena guianensis. I think there was probably some kinda typo or bad optical character recognition there.
The coastal rosy boa is probably Lichanura orcutti - L.trivirgata only occurs in southern San Diego county inland from the coast.
The "Coastal Rosy Boa" was in fact found in the small part of San Diego county that Lichanura trivirgata inhabits. (It was my first Rosy Boa, so I was paying attention.)
Matt, great stuff -- may 2014 be even better! (It will be hard to top that bushmaster though.)
John
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
What a good year! You found and photo'ed some amazing animals. Great shots.
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Daniel, Thanks for the reply, yes, loved that Bipes! Hope to see you sometime this year.
ua, I used a dual strobe for that photo (and others in this group). On that particular photo, it left two flash lights very distinct in the eye. I did not like them so I PS'd them out. Check out the same 2 flashes in the eyes of other photos in this batch. They are there but much less impacted in the photo, so they are still there. I generally don't like to take them out but if they bother me looking at the photo, I will do it. Thanks for the feedback.
John W, yes, those S Baja kings are great! Thanks!
Monklet, thanks for the reply comments. I totally agree with what you are say.
Zach, Travis, Joshua, Mike, Socal, thanks for the comments
Gerold, Was a fun year, and this year has started off well. One of these days we will cross paths again.
John S, thanks for the comments! We'll get some more lifers for you in 2014!
David, Thanks for the comments and keep your photos coming. They are getting me through the winter!
FrogO, thanks.............guianensis was a typo. Somehow the cut and paste did not translate correctly. Thanks for catching.
ua, I used a dual strobe for that photo (and others in this group). On that particular photo, it left two flash lights very distinct in the eye. I did not like them so I PS'd them out. Check out the same 2 flashes in the eyes of other photos in this batch. They are there but much less impacted in the photo, so they are still there. I generally don't like to take them out but if they bother me looking at the photo, I will do it. Thanks for the feedback.
John W, yes, those S Baja kings are great! Thanks!
Monklet, thanks for the reply comments. I totally agree with what you are say.
Zach, Travis, Joshua, Mike, Socal, thanks for the comments
Gerold, Was a fun year, and this year has started off well. One of these days we will cross paths again.
John S, thanks for the comments! We'll get some more lifers for you in 2014!
David, Thanks for the comments and keep your photos coming. They are getting me through the winter!
FrogO, thanks.............guianensis was a typo. Somehow the cut and paste did not translate correctly. Thanks for catching.
- soulsurvivor
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
That monkey frog image belongs in a calendar!
- walk-about
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Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
Matt
Yep! And you saved the best for last - Bushmaster! Damn!!! Fantastic assortment of photography sir. Thanks for sharing this.
Rock ON!
Dave
Yep! And you saved the best for last - Bushmaster! Damn!!! Fantastic assortment of photography sir. Thanks for sharing this.
Rock ON!
Dave
Re: Top 20 photos / subjects of 2013
I'm jealous of the Santa Catalina rattler. How many have you seen so far?