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Iguana Faceoff
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Iguana Faceoff

by Max Waugh

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 2, 2015140 views7 comments
My January Galapagos trip featured a ton of good Marine Iguana action. We were fortunate to see a number of them in the ocean, and when they were on land, the big males were getting pretty feisty with each other.

There's a lot of posturing among the males, which like to nod their heads in a territorial display. But seeing how these lizards are usually draped all over each other (literally) in an attempt to stay warm, it doesn't take long for a tussle to occur. A showdown between males simply involves the butting of heads. Soon after this, I saw another fight result in the loser being pushed off a ledge. Pretty fun to watch, though challenging to photograph at a proper low angle when they're all sloping away from and below you.

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 24-70
ISO 800
1/1250th
f/5

Max

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on April 2, 2015 at 3:43 PM
Really cool perspective here. Can we see it in B&W since there are so many textures and so little color?
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 2, 2015 at 6:02 PM
Luke, here's a black and white conversion for you. It was difficult to determine what type of conversion worked well, but I felt having a bit more contrast was more effective among the B/W choices.

Max
Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments
Comment posted by Clinton Bauder on April 2, 2015 at 6:18 PM
Neat picture, lots of intensity in the eyes. I prefer the color version. The bit of pink in the mouths and the green on the iguana on the right is subtle but I think makes for a more interesting image and doesn't detract from the patterns and contrast. :toast:

Clinton
Registered on December 8, 2009, 31 Posts, 231 Comments
Comment posted by John Launstein on April 4, 2015 at 5:02 AM
Totally cool frame, Max! I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I might prefer the colour version as well...perhaps because it is so (nearly) monochromatic to begin with, and the hints of yellows and pink accentuate it beautifully. Strong graphic appeal here and textures for days. No nits or suggestions from me--just a great (and dramatic) image.
Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Watkins on April 4, 2015 at 6:12 AM
Max,
I prefer the colour version as well, too me this looks highly humourous :toast: :toast:
Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Hill on April 4, 2015 at 8:20 AM
Hi Max,

I really like the apparent interaction between these two - anthropomorphically it almost looks like two villains sharing a conspiracy or evil plan! :wink:

I prefer the original colour version over the B&W follow-up - I have no issues with how you processed it, but I think the colour is needed to have the subjects stand out from the environment (they really disappear in the B&W version).

Cheers...

Brad
Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments
Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 4, 2015 at 1:08 PM
I agree with you guys. I think the color version, though subtle, it better. As you said, Brad, there's simply not enough contrast between the subjects and the surroundings to make a monochrome conversion work very well.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

Max
Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments