Taken in “Shark Valley” I know the tail is cropped, but I opted for this composition in order to maintain a larger subject image size..
Please note the blue back.
I knew I had this shot, taken in a different location, to the other shots I have posted, so when on my first two shots comments were made about a blue cast, I was sceptical, particularly as there was no blue evident in the pinks, whites etc. in the shots.
But I was intrigued, and I wanted to find out what was causing the “blue”.
So I contacted a number of eminent photographers here in the UK who I know, sent them copies of the images and asked for their opinion. All said they didn’t think there was any blue cast.
But to make sure, I also contacted the following, as they would be the people with day to day experience of these animals. I also sent copies of the images.
Reply from the “Alligator Farm Florida”
The skin of an alligator is black. It's possible it looks kind of blue by the way the light hits him.
And from
The Everglade National Park Authority, namely Samantha Paige
Ray
I asked the interpreters on staff about the alligator photos you sent.
They all said they think the alligator's black skin is reflecting the light in the surrounding area, giving it a blue coloration. It is written that "adult males and females have an olive brown or black color with a creamy white underside. The young can be distinguished from adults because they have bright yellow stripes on their tails. (Britton, 1999; Ross, 1989)."
Well, I guess that is why people say, " so black that it looks blue." I hope that helps explains a little.
Samantha Paige
Interpretation HQ Receptionist
Everglades & Dry Tortugas National Park
(305) 242-7700/7200/7300
600mm f/4, 1/125 sec @ f13, tripod mounted, electrical cable release (MC-20) used. PP in CS2. Full Frame.
Ray
One of the general rules that I was taught which may be very wrong I admit,wrong ,is that the subject should never be looking "out "of the picture. This one is certainly going out of the picture. You yourself have mentioned this in the past and it confuses me that you are breaking your own rules a tad. If you had kept the tail in and got the head over to the left I think this would have been a quite pleasing image. Even though the subject would have been smaller.( I presume you have some more pic on the right ?) There is nothing wrong with a smaller subject in the image if it looks OK. Much of the problem I feel today is the desire to fill the frame too much.
I wouldnt get too up tight about references to a "blue " cast. I've had it many times . and it used to spoil my sleep. I am in fact red green colour blind so it doesnt really matter anyway >
A nice long horizontal crop on this would make ita nice pic. - and the tail chop wouldn't matter so much.
JR
You have missed the point of this posting, which was to show the colouration of the Alligator. You mention looking out of the frame, a perfectly valid point, if this was posted just for critiquing, but it wasn’t. Anyway, on occasions rules are there to be broken.
One thing you should have realised by now, I’m not out for plaudits, my ego dosen't need them, I just enjoy my photography, and if in the process others do, then that’s great, but I definitely don’t loose any sleep, if they don’t.
I happen to believe that 80% + of any image is due to the photographer, and the balance is equipment/technology, I do know that most think it is the exact opposite, 20% or less is the photographer, and the balance is equipment/technology.
The whole point of my Alligator postings, was to show what potentially, could be done with what is a rather boring subject.
I didn’t expect the comments re the colour cast, as I knew it didn’t have one, but as a result of those comments being made, I have leant quite a lot about this as a species, and for that I’m very grateful to everyone. That is why invariable I post, to get a new viewpoint on my images, and it’s amazing what surfaces, and what I learn as a consequence.
Bottom line, I just enjoy my photography, and if others do as well, great, and if by my comments on others work, starts others thinking a little more about their own images, well that is a real bonus. But, if my efforts are ignored or ridiculed, well there is nothing I can do about that now is there. But when this happens, I invariable just shrug my shoulders, and smile, it’s amazing how relaxing this is, and what insights you get.
I'm afraid the cropped tail, and the very busy background detract from this one a bit for me. I think if the tail was cropped for some obvious compositional reason it wouldn't matter at all, but at the moment it just looks like it is missing from the shot. As John suggested, maybe a crop to take a bit of the bottom and the top would help (especially the out of focus foreground vegetation in the bottom right of the frame).
Discussion
3 repliesPlease note the blue back.
I knew I had this shot, taken in a different location, to the other shots I have posted, so when on my first two shots comments were made about a blue cast, I was sceptical, particularly as there was no blue evident in the pinks, whites etc. in the shots.
But I was intrigued, and I wanted to find out what was causing the “blue”.
So I contacted a number of eminent photographers here in the UK who I know, sent them copies of the images and asked for their opinion. All said they didn’t think there was any blue cast.
But to make sure, I also contacted the following, as they would be the people with day to day experience of these animals. I also sent copies of the images.
Reply from the “Alligator Farm Florida”
The skin of an alligator is black. It's possible it looks kind of blue by the way the light hits him.
And from
The Everglade National Park Authority, namely Samantha Paige
Ray
I asked the interpreters on staff about the alligator photos you sent.
They all said they think the alligator's black skin is reflecting the light in the surrounding area, giving it a blue coloration. It is written that "adult males and females have an olive brown or black color with a creamy white underside. The young can be distinguished from adults because they have bright yellow stripes on their tails. (Britton, 1999; Ross, 1989)."
Well, I guess that is why people say, " so black that it looks blue." I hope that helps explains a little.
Samantha Paige
Interpretation HQ Receptionist
Everglades & Dry Tortugas National Park
(305) 242-7700/7200/7300
600mm f/4, 1/125 sec @ f13, tripod mounted, electrical cable release (MC-20) used. PP in CS2. Full Frame.
One of the general rules that I was taught which may be very wrong I admit,wrong ,is that the subject should never be looking "out "of the picture. This one is certainly going out of the picture. You yourself have mentioned this in the past and it confuses me that you are breaking your own rules a tad. If you had kept the tail in and got the head over to the left I think this would have been a quite pleasing image. Even though the subject would have been smaller.( I presume you have some more pic on the right ?) There is nothing wrong with a smaller subject in the image if it looks OK. Much of the problem I feel today is the desire to fill the frame too much.
I wouldnt get too up tight about references to a "blue " cast. I've had it many times . and it used to spoil my sleep. I am in fact red green colour blind so it doesnt really matter anyway >
A nice long horizontal crop on this would make ita nice pic. - and the tail chop wouldn't matter so much.
JR
You have missed the point of this posting, which was to show the colouration of the Alligator. You mention looking out of the frame, a perfectly valid point, if this was posted just for critiquing, but it wasn’t. Anyway, on occasions rules are there to be broken.
One thing you should have realised by now, I’m not out for plaudits, my ego dosen't need them, I just enjoy my photography, and if in the process others do, then that’s great, but I definitely don’t loose any sleep, if they don’t.
I happen to believe that 80% + of any image is due to the photographer, and the balance is equipment/technology, I do know that most think it is the exact opposite, 20% or less is the photographer, and the balance is equipment/technology.
The whole point of my Alligator postings, was to show what potentially, could be done with what is a rather boring subject.
I didn’t expect the comments re the colour cast, as I knew it didn’t have one, but as a result of those comments being made, I have leant quite a lot about this as a species, and for that I’m very grateful to everyone. That is why invariable I post, to get a new viewpoint on my images, and it’s amazing what surfaces, and what I learn as a consequence.
Bottom line, I just enjoy my photography, and if others do as well, great, and if by my comments on others work, starts others thinking a little more about their own images, well that is a real bonus. But, if my efforts are ignored or ridiculed, well there is nothing I can do about that now is there. But when this happens, I invariable just shrug my shoulders, and smile, it’s amazing how relaxing this is, and what insights you get.
Happy shooting, I know I will.
Is this a scan of a film shot?
I'm afraid the cropped tail, and the very busy background detract from this one a bit for me. I think if the tail was cropped for some obvious compositional reason it wouldn't matter at all, but at the moment it just looks like it is missing from the shot. As John suggested, maybe a crop to take a bit of the bottom and the top would help (especially the out of focus foreground vegetation in the bottom right of the frame).
Cheers,
Dan.