This is a bull, it has just risen up out of the water and was resonating its body, thus the bubbles, in order to establish its territory and to attract a female. A strange looking eye, but I think this is due to it just rising out of the water and water covering it.
I was in the water to take this shot, but in a very safe position, with a natural barrier between myself and the gator. These are killers and should be treated as such, just like a Lion in Africa. They deserve respect accordingly.
Now this captive business. The everglades do not have any enclosure fences, and is larger than most, if not all, UK counties. The only constraints to their range, is that of suitable habitat.
Tom was right, in that over a short distance, an alligator can out run a FIT man. Interesting about Barry Blands stalking technique, I and many Americans would call it gross stupidity, with such a large animal. They are truly wild animals and will act accordingly. Between me and all the animals I photographed there was a barrier, in fact in my previous shots it was myself who was effectively in the cage
600mm 1/125 sec @ f8, Tripod mounted. Stalked.
Posted by Brian Davis on March 28, 2009 at 11:48 AM
The best of the three shots you've posted Ray, pity you had to spoil the post with an unneccesary dig at Barry. I hope we can keep the criticism to that as constructive and keep our personal feelings seperate.
Brian you say above and I quote: “pity you had to spoil the post with an unneccesary dig at Barry”. If I was going to have a dig at Barry, believe me you would know all about it.
So lets get this straight, it’s OK for Barry and others to question my posts, quoting a part of Barry’s post on my first Alligator, i.e..
“Also I have photographed a lot of alligators in the last year and all the ones in the wild I have come across have been extremely shy and wouldn't let you get within 6 feet before disappearing, let alone 6 inches.
28mm?
This to me equates to my stated use of a 28mm lens being questioned, in other words calling me a liar, and that’s ignoring the 6” bit. But Hey, that’s OK to call me a liar, and if you visit this forum regularly, you will soon realise that it is the norm. for some to have a “pop” at me. By the way, Barry wasn’t the only one to question my use of a 28mm lens.
Now Barry said, that he couldn’t get within 6 feet of an Alligator. He then promptly posts an image showing him less than 6 feet away from one, with no barrier in sight. What does that image tell you ??? Because to me it is a very dangerous post to have posted, here is why
Its telling the world that it is safe to approach an Alligator.
An Alligator is a carnivore, and over a short distance it can out run a grown man.
But hey, the image is saying it is safe to go less than 6 feet from one.
Now put a five year old next to Barry. One swipe of that tail, or a quick lunge and a gulp, and that five year old is BROWN BREAD.
I wasn’t asked if I was behind a barrier, it was assumed that I wasn’t, but I was, I’m not that stupid not to be. The Alligators in the Everglades are all live, wild and free and invariable hungry, and as I said carnivores.
So advocating walking upto an adult live Alligator, can only be construed as gross stupidity.
By the way, in my next post, I’ll be proving that there isn’t a blue cast on the previous alligator shots, as so many stated.
Barry please don’t take offence, I never, ever, had any intention of having a “pop” at you or your work. I didn’t raise this.
Posted by Craig Jones on March 28, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Like it ray all the 'alligator' shots have been good, well done ray
Posted by jack chapman on March 28, 2009 at 5:34 PM
interesting behavioural shot in nice light, perhaps it is just me but the horizon does seem a little tilted, as for Barry's post i had understood it was of a captive animal (though i may be wrong) which presumably makes a difference
Posted by Barry Bland on March 28, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Ray
My post was, hopefully, just a bit of 'fun'. I was trying to lighten the (alligator) air....
My gator is not wild, far from it. It is an old and very fat resident of gatorland in Orlando. I had been there do a set up shot for Scrabble and it was all very controlled.
I don't think a child on seeing this picture will think it is ok to go close to alligators, they do not jump out of a planes without a parachute after watching James Bond!
In my earlier post I was questioning the fact that you had shot a ' wild' alligator on a 28mm lens. A wild alligator that was not accustomed to lots of people, like the ones on the anhinga trail, in my humble opinion, would have been in the water before you had got within 12 feet of it. The only way it would have tolerated you being that close was if it was guarding it's nest and it would have been hissing and charging you at this point.
By stating you stalked a wild alligator and shot it on a 28mm lens could also have been construed as gross stupidity??
I have an imence amount of respect for these animals, more than most people I think. Last year I shot a 18 year old kid who had been attacked while swimming. I have a picture of the alligator being cut open and the arm being removed, it was too damaged and too late to save the arm. They scare me....
Ray, I take no offence and I hope you don't either.
cheers
Barry
Posted by Brian Davis on March 28, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Thanks for your reply Ray, I have obviously touched a nerve, Grow up for goodness sake, it's a photography site, There is far too much bickering on here, I joined because I wanted to see the quality of pictures and give praise for those that are good and helpful criticism for those that ask for it. I don't know any of you other than Dave Slater and Lewis Thompson so I have no need to try and score brownie points. If you, or for that matter anyone else, can't keep to constructive criticism about the images then you shouldn't post or comment.
Discussion
6 repliesTaken on the Myakka River.
This is a bull, it has just risen up out of the water and was resonating its body, thus the bubbles, in order to establish its territory and to attract a female. A strange looking eye, but I think this is due to it just rising out of the water and water covering it.
I was in the water to take this shot, but in a very safe position, with a natural barrier between myself and the gator. These are killers and should be treated as such, just like a Lion in Africa. They deserve respect accordingly.
Now this captive business. The everglades do not have any enclosure fences, and is larger than most, if not all, UK counties. The only constraints to their range, is that of suitable habitat.
Tom was right, in that over a short distance, an alligator can out run a FIT man. Interesting about Barry Blands stalking technique, I and many Americans would call it gross stupidity, with such a large animal. They are truly wild animals and will act accordingly. Between me and all the animals I photographed there was a barrier, in fact in my previous shots it was myself who was effectively in the cage
600mm 1/125 sec @ f8, Tripod mounted. Stalked.
Regards
Brian
So lets get this straight, it’s OK for Barry and others to question my posts, quoting a part of Barry’s post on my first Alligator, i.e..
“Also I have photographed a lot of alligators in the last year and all the ones in the wild I have come across have been extremely shy and wouldn't let you get within 6 feet before disappearing, let alone 6 inches.
28mm?
This to me equates to my stated use of a 28mm lens being questioned, in other words calling me a liar, and that’s ignoring the 6” bit. But Hey, that’s OK to call me a liar, and if you visit this forum regularly, you will soon realise that it is the norm. for some to have a “pop” at me. By the way, Barry wasn’t the only one to question my use of a 28mm lens.
Now Barry said, that he couldn’t get within 6 feet of an Alligator. He then promptly posts an image showing him less than 6 feet away from one, with no barrier in sight. What does that image tell you ??? Because to me it is a very dangerous post to have posted, here is why
Its telling the world that it is safe to approach an Alligator.
An Alligator is a carnivore, and over a short distance it can out run a grown man.
But hey, the image is saying it is safe to go less than 6 feet from one.
Now put a five year old next to Barry. One swipe of that tail, or a quick lunge and a gulp, and that five year old is BROWN BREAD.
I wasn’t asked if I was behind a barrier, it was assumed that I wasn’t, but I was, I’m not that stupid not to be. The Alligators in the Everglades are all live, wild and free and invariable hungry, and as I said carnivores.
So advocating walking upto an adult live Alligator, can only be construed as gross stupidity.
By the way, in my next post, I’ll be proving that there isn’t a blue cast on the previous alligator shots, as so many stated.
Barry please don’t take offence, I never, ever, had any intention of having a “pop” at you or your work. I didn’t raise this.
My post was, hopefully, just a bit of 'fun'. I was trying to lighten the (alligator) air....
My gator is not wild, far from it. It is an old and very fat resident of gatorland in Orlando. I had been there do a set up shot for Scrabble and it was all very controlled.
I don't think a child on seeing this picture will think it is ok to go close to alligators, they do not jump out of a planes without a parachute after watching James Bond!
In my earlier post I was questioning the fact that you had shot a ' wild' alligator on a 28mm lens. A wild alligator that was not accustomed to lots of people, like the ones on the anhinga trail, in my humble opinion, would have been in the water before you had got within 12 feet of it. The only way it would have tolerated you being that close was if it was guarding it's nest and it would have been hissing and charging you at this point.
By stating you stalked a wild alligator and shot it on a 28mm lens could also have been construed as gross stupidity??
I have an imence amount of respect for these animals, more than most people I think. Last year I shot a 18 year old kid who had been attacked while swimming. I have a picture of the alligator being cut open and the arm being removed, it was too damaged and too late to save the arm. They scare me....
Ray, I take no offence and I hope you don't either.
cheers
Barry
Nuff said.
Brian