A sense of place in herp photos

Photography knowledge exchange.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
chrish
Posts: 3295
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:14 pm
Location: San Antonio, TX
Contact:

A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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 -

Image

Anybody else have shots that capture the essence of a specific region? (No cheating by including road signs, etc!)
User avatar
MHollanders
Posts: 583
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.

Image

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.

Image

Later, Matt
User avatar
herpseeker1978
Posts: 1139
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
Location: Albuquerque

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by herpseeker1978 »

Image

Josh
User avatar
Antonsrkn
Posts: 971
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 2:38 pm
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.
Image
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.
Image

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.
Image
Wish I hadn't screwed up my settings when photographing this.
User avatar
Ross Padilla
Posts: 2666
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 6:29 pm
Location: I love L.A.
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Ross Padilla »

Image
User avatar
Jason B
Posts: 525
Joined: July 30th, 2010, 11:48 am
Location: KY: Woodford Co.

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Jason B »

Cool post idea - I love these types of shots. Here's a few:

Image
western pond turtle in southern California stream

Image
eastern coachwhip in Florida scrub

Image
cottonmouth in Florida swamp
User avatar
brick911
Posts: 3488
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:52 am
Location: Morrisville, PA

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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!
User avatar
chrish
Posts: 3295
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:14 pm
Location: San Antonio, TX
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.
User avatar
herpseeker1978
Posts: 1139
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
Location: Albuquerque

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by herpseeker1978 »

Image

Josh
User avatar
Mike Waters
Posts: 835
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:37 pm
Location: Bakersfield CA

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Mike Waters »

one of my most favorite places
Image
User avatar
MHollanders
Posts: 583
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by MHollanders »

herpseeker1978 wrote:Image

Josh
Was that in situ? Awesome situation you have there...
User avatar
aliceinwl
Posts: 52
Joined: August 29th, 2010, 12:32 am
Location: California
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by aliceinwl »

A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
justinm
Posts: 3423
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:26 am
Location: Illinois
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.
User avatar
herpseeker1978
Posts: 1139
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
Location: Albuquerque

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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
User avatar
Jason Mintzer
Posts: 101
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:25 am
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Jason Mintzer »

Image
User avatar
Tim Borski
Posts: 1855
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:28 am
Location: FL Keys
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Tim Borski »

Being endemic, these surely give sense of place.

Image 1

Image

Image 2

Image

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

Image 3

Image
User avatar
Bill Love
Posts: 169
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:33 pm
Location: Apache Junction (near Phoenix), Arizona

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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....
Image

Hey, what is that crossing the road in the post above this one?
User avatar
aliceinwl
Posts: 52
Joined: August 29th, 2010, 12:32 am
Location: California
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by aliceinwl »

Image
Robert Hansen
Posts: 175
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:35 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Robert Hansen »

[quote="aliceinwl"]A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

Image

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
User avatar
aliceinwl
Posts: 52
Joined: August 29th, 2010, 12:32 am
Location: California
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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
User avatar
David Tobler
Posts: 59
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:52 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by David Tobler »

Mike Waters wrote:one of my most favorite places
Image
I think that's Chucky Manson's house in the background.
User avatar
Christopher
Posts: 140
Joined: June 22nd, 2010, 8:53 pm
Location: SFL
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Christopher »

Tim, that snake in t :thumb: he last shot is a real beauty.
J-Miz
Posts: 373
Joined: October 28th, 2010, 4:26 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by J-Miz »

aliceinwl wrote:A few of mine, I've posted these before, but not since the crash:

Image

Image

Image
These three photos are all FANTASTIC. Thanks for sharing these :thumb:
User avatar
Bryan Hamilton
Posts: 1234
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 9:49 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

I've posted this before:

Image

You all have some outstanding photography skills. I really like the Uma on sand dune photo.
User avatar
Saunders
Posts: 433
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:42 am
Location: Boerne, Tx

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Saunders »

This one right here to me very well portrays a Texas Hill Country creek.
Image

These two just shout Eastern Colorado plains to me.
Although this one is not a herp.
Image

This one is.
Image

This one also screams Texas Hill country creek.
Image

And I would say that this one shows a quiet Texas house..... but the Veiled Chameleon that we found just sorta ruins the mood.
Image
User avatar
MHollanders
Posts: 583
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by MHollanders »

East Texas mixed woodland.

Image
User avatar
Nick Scobel
Posts: 232
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 9:35 pm
Location: Southeast Michigan
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Nick Scobel »

Cottonmouth on Snake Road
Image

Kingsnake at an abandoned barn in Illinois
Image

Blue Racer at an abandoned home site in Michigan
Image

Wood Turtle from Northern Michigan
Image

Eastern Massasauga from a grassland in southeast Michigan
Image

Eastern Box Turtle found along a powerline cut in western Michigan
Image

Northern Leopard Frog in a lakeside pool in Ontario
Image

Smooth Green Snake in alvar habitat in northern Ontario
Image
Chris Ivins
Posts: 95
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:50 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Chris Ivins »

Tim were the Boa's at the deering estate? Am I missing something? Those are morphs...
User avatar
Jason_Hood
Posts: 201
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:43 am
Location: Chicago

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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

Image

Jason
J-Miz
Posts: 373
Joined: October 28th, 2010, 4:26 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by J-Miz »

Awesome, Jason! I wish that thing was crawling when I visited a couple years back.
Erik Williams
Posts: 100
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:57 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Erik Williams »

looks familiar...
Image
User avatar
justinm
Posts: 3423
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:26 am
Location: Illinois
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by soulsurvivor »

This is the best I got......a broadheaded skink near the east coast of Florida:
Image

Second best......one of the many canals in the everglades area:
Image
Erik Williams
Posts: 100
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:57 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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.
User avatar
crocdoc
Posts: 473
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:43 pm
Location: Australia

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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...
Image

A few frames later
Image

Red-bellied blacksnake Pseudechis porphyriacus by the chookhouse (henhouse)
Image

Eastern bearded dragon Pogona barbata looking for a place to lay eggs, roadside in NSW, Australia
Image

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.
Image
Same species, more natural habitat
Image
S. magister higher up the slopes.
Image

Stopping to stretch the legs in jump-up country, central Queensland, Australia. Lophognathus burnsi looking on.
Image

Chlamydosaurus kingii in typical habitat of skinny, charred trees and termite mounds in northeastern Queensland
Image

Varanus panoptes that didn't make it across the road quickly enough in the Northern Territory
Image
Healthier one in central Queensland. Typical central Queensland countryside, bar the water.
Image

Varanus varius in a picnic ground, NSW, Australia
Image
Same species on stone wall at a scenic lookout, Sydney, NSW
Image
Image

Typical savannah on the island of Rinca, Indonesia, with one of the inhabitants.
Image
Close-up of above
Image
User avatar
StephenZozaya
Posts: 145
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:31 am
Location: Townsville, Queensland

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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
User avatar
Saunders
Posts: 433
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:42 am
Location: Boerne, Tx

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Saunders »

Blotched watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa)
South/ Central Texas Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe.
Image

Red Ear Slider, same area, dry creek bed.
Image

Ornate Tree Lizard, enchanted rock.
Image

RES, tributary of the Guadalupe.
Image

Texas Spiny Lizard, sense of place? It ran up my freaking pantleg.
Image
User avatar
justinm
Posts: 3423
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:26 am
Location: Illinois
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by justinm »

I just recently took this one, and thought it would fit. This is a Western Ribbon Snake.

Image

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

Image
mikemike
Posts: 1207
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:37 pm
Location: Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by mikemike »

justinm wrote:I just recently took this one, and thought it would fit. This is a Western Ribbon Snake.

Image

If nothing else, that's a great habitat shot, Justin
User avatar
huggorm
Posts: 25
Joined: July 4th, 2010, 5:06 am

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by huggorm »

Image
User avatar
Schell
Posts: 456
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 9:33 am
Location: SF Bay Area
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Schell »

Crotaphytus insularis - Isla Angel de la Gurada, Baja California.

Image
rtdunham
Posts: 219
Joined: January 11th, 2011, 2:43 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post 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)

Image
User avatar
DMong
Posts: 195
Joined: June 6th, 2011, 10:42 pm
Location: central Florida
Contact:

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by DMong »

Some Black Racers (Coluber c. priapus) in steamy central east coast of Florida.

Image

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

Image

another one cruising the fence line for some tasty brown anoles

Image
User avatar
Bill Love
Posts: 169
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:33 pm
Location: Apache Junction (near Phoenix), Arizona

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Bill Love »

I really like Rob Schell's shot of Crotaphytus insularis . That's approaching perfection in the Grismeresque image style!
User avatar
justin caaz
Posts: 32
Joined: December 17th, 2010, 4:49 pm

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by justin caaz »

my contribution......

Image

anyone else been here?

Image
Jamie D
Posts: 38
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:14 am
Location: Racine, WI

Re: A sense of place in herp photos

Post by Jamie D »

I found this Painted Turtle digging a nest near this observation platform.

Image
Painted Turtle
Post Reply