Gator

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited August 16, 2006 in Wildlife
Hi Y'all,

Besides birds the one thing the Viera Wetlands has is gators. Usually they are a poor subject because they just lay there and look pretty like this guy

86632461-O.jpg

a tad closer
86632462-O.jpg

:snore typical gator stuff. They wil usually lay there until thye notice you and then they will dash into the water and submerge. This guy had a different reaction

86632464-O.jpg

86632463-O.jpg

after this all the gators went back to theri regular routine
86632469-O.jpg
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
«1

Comments

  • STLMach1STLMach1 Registered Users Posts: 152 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2006
    The funny thing... I know folks whose teeth are not as white as the gator's! rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif

    How is that??? eek7.gif

    Great captures! Talk about taking risks for what you love. Hopefully he's not quite as close as he looks. #4 is a fantastic looking shot. thumb.gif

    Michael
  • DigipixDigipix Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited August 11, 2006
    Gator
    Great shots of the Gator. I see he tried to camouflage himself with that grass on his head. The GATORS we have up here in Gainesville submerge themsevles in brew not water.
    I'd rather drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow.:thumb
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2006
    Awwww.....iloveyou.gif ...cut little cuddly thing!

    Almost as cute as a racoon! rolleyes1.gif

    86632463-M.jpg

    Very nice set, Harry. thumb.gif
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2006
    STLMach1 wrote:
    The funny thing... I know folks whose teeth are not as white as the gator's! rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif

    How is that??? eek7.gif

    Great captures! Talk about taking risks for what you love. Hopefully he's not quite as close as he looks. #4 is a fantastic looking shot. thumb.gif

    Michael

    Thanks Michael. Gators are known for their fastidiness about their dental hygiene , hence the white teeth. :bs :D

    I was using my 80-400 for these shots and I was standing behind my car so I was a safe distance away.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Dick on ArubaDick on Aruba Registered Users Posts: 3,484 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    Nice series Harry. They're beautiful animals which we need to respect.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Dick.
    "Nothing sharpens sight like envy."
    Thomas Fuller.

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    Website.
  • Fusion_UKFusion_UK Registered Users Posts: 249 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    Nice
    Harry
    Nice series here. Well photographed with good exposure and pin sharp as I would expect. Thanks for sharing. Ian thumb.gif
    Ian :photo
    ALL COMMENTS / CRITS GRATEFULLY RECEIVED
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    Digipix wrote:
    Great shots of the Gator. I see he tried to camouflage himself with that grass on his head. The GATORS we have up here in Gainesville submerge themsevles in brew not water.

    Thanks Howard. It sounds like your GATORS are more fun. beer.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    great pictures he is beauty iloveyou.gif
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

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  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    terrific shots.
    I'm pretty sure I would be in the car with it running.nod.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • CookieSCookieS Registered Users Posts: 854 Major grins
    edited August 12, 2006
    I like to watch the gators, i dont get to shoot them camera wise. usually along the rainblow/withlacoochie river, mostly babies, but now and then a slightly bigger one. at the headwaters the only one ive seen is on the sign that says , swim with caution.eek7.gif
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    Awwww.....iloveyou.gif ...cut little cuddly thing!

    Almost as cute as a racoon! rolleyes1.gif

    86632463-M.jpg

    Very nice set, Harry. thumb.gif

    Golly Ric you should know better than that. There's nothing as cute as a
    rabid racoon.

    Thanks.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • trogloditetroglodite Registered Users Posts: 130 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    STLMach1 wrote:
    The funny thing... I know folks whose teeth are not as white as the gator's! rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif

    How is that??? eek7.gif

    Great captures! Talk about taking risks for what you love. Hopefully he's not quite as close as he looks. #4 is a fantastic looking shot. thumb.gif

    Michael

    Hmmm.... Maybe I should go on an all-fish-and-bird-and-small-dog diet and see if the coffee stains go away... rolleyes1.gif

    Wonderful shots! Sounds like you got as close as I would want to also - ha. Next time maybe you could reach over and remove the piece of moss first. rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gifrofl
    is now gone. i have no time for cliques and fan clubs.
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Harryb wrote:
    Hi Y'all,

    Besides birds the one thing the Viera Wetlands has is gators. Usually they are a poor subject because they just lay there and look pretty like this guy

    a tad closer

    :snore typical gator stuff. They wil usually lay there until thye notice you and then they will dash into the water and submerge. This guy had a different reaction

    after this all the gators went back to theri regular routine

    Geeezz Harry you get the best of everything down your way don't ya <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/eek7.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
    Best Birds, Best Gators, Best Storms < -- had to throw that one in <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/rolleyes1.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
    Now that would just be so cool to take pics of Gators .... ya lucky buggar !

    Great Stuff Harry ........ Skippy (Australia)
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Nice series Harry. They're beautiful animals which we need to respect.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Dick.

    Respect is the right word. Every year there are stories about folks getting chomped by these guys and its usually because they felt the gator was a Disney extra and not a wild animal. My favorite was the tourst who tried to feed a gator by hand and got surprised when the agtor couldn't tell the difference between the food and her hand and chomped down on her hand. rolleyes1.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Wow, you got to see a gator actually moving, out of the water! Must have been a hot day. Maybe he just likes to eat Nikons...

    Cool shots. Those teeth are definitely not to be played with.
    Chris
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Fusion_UK wrote:
    Harry
    Nice series here. Well photographed with good exposure and pin sharp as I would expect. Thanks for sharing. Ian thumb.gif

    Thanks you very much Ian wave.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Harryb wrote:
    Golly Ric you should know better than that. There's nothing as cute as a
    rabid racoon.

    Thanks.

    In McHenry County, Il. where I lived most of my adult life there has not been a report of rabies in over a century....and the place is crawling with them critters.

    And....they won't bite your leg off either! rolleyes1.gif
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    great pictures he is beauty iloveyou.gif

    Thank you Awais.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 13, 2006
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    In McHenry County, Il. where I lived most of my adult life there has not been a report of rabies in over a century....and the place is crawling with them critters.

    And....they won't bite your leg off either! rolleyes1.gif

    Don't get me started on critters. Hell, its too late you got me started.

    Raccoons: They tear up your garbage and make a general mess of things; we were all excited over at the wetlands when the caracaras built a nest their until the raccoons raided the nest and the caracaras moved out :pissed ; they are infected with rabies in other parts of he country. Hell if we could invade Iraq looking for mythical WMDs we could at least do something about raccoons.

    Rabbits: I loved rabbits until i paid $3K to upgrade my landscaping. I'm sitting back enjoying a Corona and what do I see. I see a frigging rabbit lunching on my $3k landscaping. I buy some foul smelling crap at a ridiculous price to spray on my landscaping that will keep rabbits and deer away. I spray the foul smelling crap on the landscaping and got enough on me to ruin my sex life for the next few days. I sit back, enjoy my Corona and what do i see? Its that frigging rabbit munching on my now foul smelling landscaping. I go up to the screen and yell at it and it doesn't move even though I'm inches away from it. It only moves when I go outside and start throwing rocks at it. My next purchase is a shotgun. :rambo

    Squirrels: Rodents, need I say more.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    terrific shots.
    I'm pretty sure I would be in the car with it running.nod.gif

    Thanks and my car was running the whole time
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    Good series Harry! thumb.gif

    Do you ever film them eating?
    My SmugMug Gallery

    Looking for tips on macro photography? Check out my Blog: No Cropping Zone.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    CookieS wrote:
    I like to watch the gators, i dont get to shoot them camera wise. usually along the rainblow/withlacoochie river, mostly babies, but now and then a slightly bigger one. at the headwaters the only one ive seen is on the sign that says , swim with caution.eek7.gif

    We have gators all over the place down here. I haven't seen any babies yet and would love to shoot some of them.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    troglodite wrote:
    Hmmm.... Maybe I should go on an all-fish-and-bird-and-small-dog diet and see if the coffee stains go away... rolleyes1.gif

    Wonderful shots! Sounds like you got as close as I would want to also - ha. Next time maybe you could reach over and remove the piece of moss first. rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gifrofl

    Thanks and if the gator was happy with that piece of moss I wasn't going to change a thing.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    Skippy wrote:
    Geeezz Harry you get the best of everything down your way don't ya <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/eek7.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
    Best Birds, Best Gators, Best Storms < -- had to throw that one in <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/rolleyes1.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
    Now that would just be so cool to take pics of Gators .... ya lucky buggar !

    Great Stuff Harry ........ Skippy (Australia)

    We do have lots of photo ops down here. Fortunately we haven't had any big storms yet this year. I just bought some hurricane shields and I want to see how they work out.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    lol3.gif :lol4 :lol biggrinbounce2.gif :lol :lol4 lol3.gif

    Harry.....you make my guts hurt!!!

    I understand the rabbit part alright. My wife thought they were so cute...until we were sitting out back last night (MGD Light here) and she saw one eating the buds off her favorite flowering vine. Now I can safely have at him!

    Seriously, though, it's all some folks will ever get decent shot of....:oogle
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    ChrisJ wrote:
    Wow, you got to see a gator actually moving, out of the water! Must have been a hot day. Maybe he just likes to eat Nikons...

    Cool shots. Those teeth are definitely not to be played with.

    Thanks Chris and it is unusual to see them moving in the daylight. They come up on the banks in the daytime to sun themselves and they hunt at night.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 15, 2006
    Dalantech wrote:
    Good series Harry! thumb.gif

    Do you ever film them eating?

    Thanks. The only time I got shots of them feeding was at the Alligator Farm. They hunt at night so it would be tough to get a shot.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited August 15, 2006
    Gator's will really fool ya though, as I'm quite sure Harry knows. They look so slow and move so slow, until they don't!!

    When a gator decides it wants something for lunch, it moves VERY fast for 6 -12 feet. Faster than humans can run, for instance.

    I saw one while we were at the Florida shoot that came 10 feet up the embankment in the blink of an eye. That will get your pulse up fer sure!!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited August 16, 2006
    Harryb wrote:
    Thanks. The only time I got shots of them feeding was at the Alligator Farm. They hunt at night so it would be tough to get a shot.

    Wow -I learned something new! I didn't know that they are nocturnal predators... :):
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 16, 2006
    pathfinder wrote:
    Gator's will really fool ya though, as I'm quite sure Harry knows. They look so slow and move so slow, until they don't!!

    When a gator decides it wants something for lunch, it moves VERY fast for 6 -12 feet. Faster than humans can run, for instance.

    I saw one while we were at the Florida shoot that came 10 feet up the embankment in the blink of an eye. That will get your pulse up fer sure!!

    Gators can move extremely fast. I will always remember the first time I shot one. It was laying on the bank so I got out of the car took a few shots and then moved in closer, took some more shots and moved in closer. Just as I was getting ready to get my macro lens out the gator spun around and ran into the water. He moved so fast I couldn't even get a shot off. Then it hit me that if he had opted to move towards me rather than away from me he would had been on me in a flash and there would have been noting I could had done about it. I have always exercised much more care when shooting gators since that time.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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