Don't Mess With Me

kdog

I'm warning you.





(Fortunately no photographers or snakes were injured in the capture of these photographs. :wink )

Thanks for looking,
-joel

digidrone

Outstanding, Well Done! The list goes on....
I hope my turns comes around someday

Eia

OOO My...did you use a 300 mm to get this while standing 'way' back? Nice capture nonetheless but I did not need to see this. I'm already nicknamed 'snake charmer' since I tend to almost step on these things all the time for the past twenty years, now I have nightmares. Careful foot placement is of utmost importance! We saw three when I took the photos of the lake sunsets I just posted.

What's the story here; were you out and about or was he on your property? Did you have your snake gators on? :DAnyway, very (gulp) detailed photo!!!

Ric Grupe

Hmmm...the rattle seems to be blurred.

LoriKTM

:eek1

Wow, nice shots! I love the tongue flickering in #1, but the close up on #2 is way too realistic for comfort!

Spill the beans-- how close did you get, and what were the circumstances?!

mnscott

You're a brave man, Joel! Nice captures for sure.

VayCayMom

Ric Grupe wrote:

Hmmm...the rattle seems to be blurred.

I noticed that as as well !! made me shiver !!

bfjr

Outstanding

Classic pose, really dig it !!

kdog

Thanks folks! Glad you liked the shots. Ok, the story....

I was driving my Jeep out in the desert yesterday evening doing some exploring and hoping for a dramatic sunset since it was cloudy (didn't really pan out.) I was tooling back through a wash when I heard "ssssssSSSSSssssssss", almost like compressed air leaking out of a hose as I drove by. It was loud enough to be heard over the sound of my car stereo. I'd completely driven by it when I thought to myself, what the heck was that? So I backed up 50', and there he was on the driver's side of the wash, still hissing at me as I pulled up along side him. So I snapped a couple of shots out the window. But what I really wanted was to get down to his level, and that meant getting out of the car. I was probably 4 or 5' from him, and after some mental calculations, I decided that I could probably step outside the car without being bitten as long as he didn't charge me. Now I don't think snakes actually will charge you, but more hold their ground. Jeeps are crowded and it's really hard to climb over the console and out the passenger side without getting the shifter stuck in places on your anatomy where it shoudn't go, so I elected to take my chances with the snake. I stepped out, and quickly retreated next to the rear wheel of the Jeep, crouched down and started shooting. Surprisingly, the snake never retreated. He sat there rattling and staring me down the entire time while I snapped off all the shots I wanted. I was probably 6 or 7' from him, and I was planning escape routes in my head in case he did start to charge me. The really hairy part was getting back into the car, because it involved getting within a few feet of him again to get in the driver's door. Call me a moron, I guess.

BTW, both of those are framed as-shot, no cropping. I had my Canon 40D, and my most favorite lens, the 100-400. It was very late light, almost dark, so I used ISO800. Now check this out. First shot is 210mm, 1/100s. The closeup is 400mm 1/80s. These are hand-held! And THAT folks is why I swear by this lens. The image-stabilization on this lens just defies physics. Plus, having ability to zoom and frame my shots exactly the way I want is priceless to me.

Cheers,
-joel

LoriKTM

kdog wrote:

Now check this out. First shot is 210mm, 1/100s. The closeup is 400mm 1/80s. These are hand-held!

Cheers,
-joel

Wow. Just wow. I would have been shaking so hard that IS would have just given up. :giggle

Great photos, Joel!

Azzaro

That is a great shot of a coon-tail kdogthumb.........I have had rattlers in the corral with the horse, in the kennel with the dog and one was in a feed sack. If the rattle went off before I saw them, it always gave me a chill......azzaro

Maestro

Love great. You caught a great pose and I would heed its warning!

kdog

Thanks, guys. This was a rare treat for me.

-joel

Harryb

Marvelous images Joel. I would have passed on them, ain't no way I'm getting a few feet away from a rattler. :nah

kdog

Harryb wrote:

Marvelous images Joel. I would have passed on them, ain't no way I'm getting a few feet away from a rattler. :nah

Thanks, Harry! Hey, ya do you what gotta do to get the shot. Now that I've discovered that evening is the best time to shoot rattlers, I'll probably go and try to find some more. I suppose I should get some snake boots too.

Cheers,
-joel

Dogdots

Very good photos

I'd be shaking like a leaf taking those and my images would show it

JohnDC

kdog wrote:

Thanks folks! Glad you liked the shots. Ok, the story....

... I decided that I could probably step outside the car without being bitten as long as he didn't charge me. Now I don't think snakes actually will charge you, but more hold their ground. ...

-joel

Great photos, Joel. I think you're right about being charged by a rattlesnake, but just don't try this with the tropical pitviper, the fer-de-lance. They will charge, especially if cornered. (It happened to me once.) As far as I know, they don't get as far north as Arizona. --- John

grimace

Great looking shots Joel. I would had been using my 500mm and cropping the heck out of the shot.

I agree 100% with you on your 100-400 lens. I've used it for a few shots in Moab and it's extremely sharp.

kdog

JohnDC wrote:

Great photos, Joel. I think you're right about being charged by a rattlesnake, but just don't try this with the tropical pitviper, the fer-de-lance. They will charge, especially if cornered. (It happened to me once.) As far as I know, they don't get as far north as Arizona. --- John

Thanks, John! I'll keep that in mind. :uhoh

Thanks Adam and Dogdots as well.

Cheers,
-joel