Not a Bird

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 11, 2011120 views10 comments

I photographed this iguana in Grand Cayman in December. It was in a tree at the Governor Michael Gore Bird Sanctuary. Needless to say I was looking for birds (I normally post in the Avian Gallery). However, this is a beautiful reptile; large too (about 5 ft. long). Also, despite that its dominant color is brown, I think that this is a Blue Iguana. It looks to me like it might be shedding its skin (see the dark area towards the end of the tail that is visible). Blue Iguanas are named for the color of their head and are a critically endangered species. I enjoyed seeing this specimen and I hope this image fits here in the Fauna Gallery.

All comments welcome on this specimen or on the quality of the image.

1D Mark IV, 400 mm f/5.6, 1.4x TC, hand held: ISO 400, 1/1000 s, f/10, -1/3EV, 16 MP (full frame),, usual NR, exposure adjustment, sharpening.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 11, 2011 at 4:10 PM

Beautiful colors, nice detail and good use of leading lines... while I wish to see the whole tail the way it dips behind the vegetation works nicely.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 11, 2011 at 5:34 PM

Great looking iguana in a nice place. I really like the contrast created with the iguana and the green vegetation. Nicely done.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on January 11, 2011 at 8:19 PM

A handsome fellow, indeed! I, too, wish the full tail were visible, though.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 11, 2011 at 11:56 PM

Hi Steve, thanks for posting in this gallery! This is a very intriguing subject. The darkish OOF BG makes it really stand out well. The curved green branch on the right frames the animal nicely as it mirrors its curved back. I understand the wish to see the tail, yet feel it is forgivable in this case as the tail disappears behind the vegetation and is not simply cut by the edge of the frame.

PS: Noise reduction at ISO 400 with that body???

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on January 12, 2011 at 9:27 AM

Thank you so much for your comments, everyone. I thought that I should comment on two points that were brought up. First of all, the hidden tail: this is a full frame image taken with a prime lens while at the end of a boardwalk in the middle of a pond. I couldn't zoom out and I couldn't walk backwards. So, it had to be tail-less! Actually, I'm not sure if I could see the tail. I don't think so. If it was possible to include the tail the iguana would be smaller in the frame.
The second point was a question by Vincent about the need for NR here. I've been using Topaz Labs Denoise 5. It has a high intensity light inspection assist and gives the option of reducing noise to different degrees ranging from lightest to very strong. I've been routinely examining every image (even with the 1D Mark IV) and applying some level of NR while closely watching for the effect on detail. At the lightest level (often the case) there is barely any effect at all. (I don't recall what NR level I used for this particular image.) I feel more comfortable with this blanket approach because of the number of variables affecting noise level.
Thank you all again for making me think of these aspects!!

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 12, 2011 at 9:48 AM

Very cool subject Steve. nice color and detail. I alsolike how the branch on the right seems to mirror the curve of the iguana. Not bad for a bird guy

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 12, 2011 at 10:28 AM

What a cool subject. That alone makes this a great image but then you also have very good details, a nice perch, and a great pose from this critter. Neat.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 13, 2011 at 1:38 AM

Beautiful job on the exposure and colors Steve. I like the setting of course, very cool. In this case I think you might have placed him a little higher and to the left in the frame to give us a bit more of the tail. An awesome photo as posted though.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on January 13, 2011 at 5:20 PM

Beautiful colors in this image, and great details in the iguana.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on January 13, 2011 at 10:15 PM

Very nice and a great subject. I think I would like him a little higher in the frame, but this is fine as posted.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments