Iguana War

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 7, 2015145 views6 comments

These two Marine Iguanas were battling each other in a small depression in the sand halfway between the shoreline and a lagoon. They went at it for well over an hour while we were on them, and according to our Galapagos guide could very well have been at it the next day as well. The fellow on the right certainly got the worst of it, seemingly conceding a bit of his tongue.

I struggled a bit with the comp–for better of worse.
Isla Baltra, Galapagos Ecuador

D3s
70-200 f/2.8
1/1250s @ f/9
ISO 250
-1/3 EV
shot kneeling @ 160mm HH

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 7, 2015 at 8:18 PM

Neat "action" shot and I like that you can see the eyes and the tongue sticking out. I see this was taken at 160mm - perhaps a wider view would have been a bit better to get the tails and the full foot in. With what you have, I think the comp works.

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on February 8, 2015 at 7:28 AM

Hi Chuck, getting down lower, (on your stomach) I think would have given you a better angle/POV. Maybe positioning yourself more angle to your left too (if possible) may have also avoided chopping the tails off with a lower/wide angle? These tend to be a more 'stationary' than the Land Iguanas, but you have to put up with them desalinating.

A bit more ISO perhaps for that SS, I think some more USM (selective) would help, likewise some selective Clarity.

How is the snow doing?

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on February 8, 2015 at 10:18 AM

Hi Chuck,

Nice bit of action shown here - and having that tongue out certainly adds to the image and to the story. I cringe a little thinking of the pain associated with losing the tip of one's tongue - major "ouch" there!

Overall I agree with Steve's suggestions, so I won't repeat them. Hindsight is always 20:20 and as posted the image has some good interest to it!

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 8, 2015 at 4:21 PM

Hi Chuck,

Nice details of this iguana scrap. You might try a tighter panorama crop to take advantage of the wide stance pose of the attacker on the left. Other than that--it is a very neat photo

.....................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on February 8, 2015 at 7:05 PM

Nice action shot with good detail and nice light.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 11, 2015 at 9:27 PM

Great action Chuck, these guys were something else weren't they? This is a cleaner shot of the one biting the other than I managed. With these guys down in a bit of a hole in the sand it was difficult to get a clean, low angle. I think you did about as well as you could with the crop here although I could see taking a sliver from the right and adding a touch on the left if you have it.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments