Posted by David Sewell on March 26, 2009 at 7:16 AM
...Blackadder, of course. Not that I am absolutely sure of the sex. There seems to be something special about black adders in the eyes of many people, but in fact they seem to be relatively frequent at a number of sites in the southeast. This one is just about to go through a slough, which is why the eye looks a little funny. I am hoping that by the next time I am in his local area he will have sloughed and be in top condition.
Perhaps I need a cunning plan to get him again next time round.
Bald Rick, aka David
Nikon D200 & 150mm Sigma
Posted by Brett Lewis on March 26, 2009 at 7:30 AM
Nice capture there David and the melanistic adders really are something special. It is often quite hard to get the contrast right with this colour animal especially when you have bright bits of substrate in the BG. Funny I was just talking to Guy Rogers last night about the changes in their eyes at the time of the slough. I expect this one will look fantastic post-sloughing and look forward to seeing some more images.
I think you need a bit more 'Sanatogen' and get down to ground level for this kind of shot..
I nearly had some more pictures of another black adder on one of my sites at the weekend... Time yet..
Brett
Posted by John Robinson on March 26, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Nice.
We get one or two, and there used to be a lot up on Thorn moors on the peat I seem to recall.
JohnR
Great subject... agree with Brett about getting lower.... and perhaps round a little just to get parrallel to the head... nice DoF to show the body well...
Posted by Major Gilbert on March 26, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Got me going there with Edmund. Great looking beasty and the darker ones always seem to portray an evil side for some reason.
Perhaps a LPV would henhance things even more and the use of a longer focal lenght if you are a bit squeamish. Nice one Dave.
Major.
Posted by Brian Davis on March 26, 2009 at 3:08 PM
As a fatty I understand that lower isn't always possible, thats not to imply you're a fatty I don't know you However the shot is brill. Our regular Adders here in the forest are not as scary. I think its ace.
Posted by Dawn Monrose on March 26, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Great shot! A nice pose you've captured and nice to have some space around the adder too. I've never seen a black one before, he looks a very handsome creature!
Discussion
6 repliesPerhaps I need a cunning plan to get him again next time round.
Bald Rick, aka David
Nikon D200 & 150mm Sigma
I think you need a bit more 'Sanatogen' and get down to ground level for this kind of shot..
I nearly had some more pictures of another black adder on one of my sites at the weekend... Time yet..
Brett
We get one or two, and there used to be a lot up on Thorn moors on the peat I seem to recall.
JohnR
Perhaps a LPV would henhance things even more and the use of a longer focal lenght if you are a bit squeamish. Nice one Dave.
Major.