Dangers of photgraphing HS golf tournament

jonh68

I was making my rounds around the course shooting a high school tourney. I see something moving in a pond, but my first thought was an otter.



I get in position to shoot by the pond as it's the first hole that I had good light shining on a tee shot. The critter gets closer and it turns out to be a 4-5 ft gator.



I keep shooting the kids on their tee shots, with one eye kept behind me. I have not seen this view before. It's usually the butt shot I get. I move down after grabbing this shot.





Now, the photographers instinct takes over and I think, walk around and get in direct light.



I have not seen this view before either. I move after this shot.



From a safer location



Apparently, there was something dead around where I was standing. I couldn't get a close look, but I think it was a lizard,frog, snake that got caught up in the mower and it's remains were laying on the course.









I used a canon EOS II N and 70-200. It looks more dangerous than it really was. Note I was NEVER between it and the water. That's when the accidents happen with gators. I am surprised though this big of a gator was in a pond on a golf course with residences all around.

Jim T

Great set and a great story!

Love the shot of the gator picking up the dead critter!

DonRicklin

Now that's a 'water hazard'. Nice sequence.

Don

dadwtwins

So awesome to be at the right place at the right time,

Great series and story telling ;-)

Travis

Great story/sequence. 5 and 6 are spectacular. I wish there was something else in one of the images to reference the true size of the gator because it looks like it could be a lizard without it.

bikingbets

Very entertaining post!
So, did you get any golf shots???

jbswear

Holy cow, beautiful shots!

Love the color!

Harryb

Good set.

Gators are everywhere. Last year this dude who worked on a golf course got attacked by a gator. He made his $ by going into into the water hazards to retrieve golf balls. On one of his trips he was retrieved by a gator

Another time a golfer was reached his hand into pond by the sixth hole and got pulled into the water by a gator

dbaker1221

great story & captures:ivar

jonh68

bikingbets wrote:

Very entertaining post!
So, did you get any golf shots???

Thanks!

I got some golf shots. I though the best ones were from this spot as the light was just right. However, the sports editor didn't use any of them.

jonh68

Travis wrote:

Great story/sequence. 5 and 6 are spectacular. I wish there was something else in one of the images to reference the true size of the gator because it looks like it could be a lizard without it.

Looking back, I wish I did take a longer view instead of all the closeups. However, I have many shots of gators from long range and I had "willing" model, so I zoomed in tight. I do have this one.

PrescottPhotog

jonh68 wrote:

I was making my rounds around the course shooting a high school tourney. I see something moving in a pond, but my first thought was an otter.

Hi Jon, Very nice series. I didn't know their sense of smell was that good. Cool shots

jonh68

PrescottPhotog wrote:

Hi Jon, Very nice series. I didn't know their sense of smell was that good. Cool shots

Me either. I imagine it could have been smell or memory. I felt like lunch a few times when it looked at me. However, when I moved, it kept looking at that spot the same way. As funny as it sounds, it looked like a dog honing in on a treat. It started to rub it's head on the grass and then it grabbed whatever it was and bit down a couple of times. When that was over, it made it's way back into the water. It was cool!

raptorcaptor

Great photos, and story!