My first post here. I enjoy herpetology and photography, and I occasionaly combine the two.
A male Blacktailed rattlesnake from south-eastern Arizona.

First a big welcome to you on your first post

That is some dangerous material you are playing with! That also was some very close proximity you shot these at 80-90mm, yikes! Color and details look very good, glad to have you join in!

Karl

Welcome to FM. I love #1. You're a lot braver then I am and I respect snakes...no way I'd be that brave with that lens you used.

Thank you Karl. There's some great photography on this forum, glad to be here!
Bill

Thank you Duane.

Nice DOF on the first 2 and great detail also.
Welcome to the forum.

Tim

Perhaps the new Canon 800 IS would be a great lens for such a job... maybe with 2X TC!

Wonderful photos. Is there some sexual dimorphism in the species?


Ryan

Thank you Tim!

Ryan, thank you for the comments. I'm sure the Canon would do a wonderful job, but I shoot Nikon. This was taken with my D100 70-200mmVR, before I bought my D300.
Blacktailed rattlesnakes have an extensive range and are differently colored throughout their range. Specimens from a few mountain ranges in se Az exhibit a nice golden color. Males are usually much more vibrantly colored than the females. The male pictured, is an exceptionally nicely colored specimen.
A female was found just a few feet from where the male was found, but she was quite dull in comparison and fairly thin too. There was a pretty good chance she had recently given birth.
Thanks again for the comments.
Bill

The more rattlers, the merrier. That's what I always say. No, really... all the time. You're lucky to have some of the more ornery crotalus; the Southern Pacific rattlers here refuse to show any personality -- even if you poke 'em with a stick (isn't that right, tfoltz?). Anyway, the first shot really works for me, especially being near eye level.

-- Don

Welcome. Great shots. Nice details
Harsha

1st and 3rd are fantastic shots!

90mm!

Thanks again for the kind words.
Don, I don't have much experience with C helleri, but I thought they were a little more exciteable than you describe. Potent venom too!
Bill

Bill,

Welcome to FM! Glad to have another herper in our midst Crotalus molossus is by far my favorite rattlesnake, I really hope to get out to AZ to find some in the near future. Thank you for sharing such amazing images of a wonderful animal!

90mm, pssh I'd use my 17-40L

I look forward to seeing more images from your way! Bring on the pyromelana

oh...hell no. nice shots though!

Welcome aboard. I really like the first shot, great angle.

Rob

Thanks again for the many welcomes and kind words.
Peyton, the only pyro shot I currently have is of my cbb female. You never know though, tis the season!

Great shots, love the first one.

Howard.

How big was he? Do you realize how far one of those can jump! (as a herpetology enthusiast you must!)
I've always been taught (and I grew up in diamondback country) that they can jump twice their length. Is that correct, or an old wives tale? I have personally seen them jump further than I'd like to be near!
I don't have a phobia about snakes, but I do have a healthy respect for their dangers. I've seen cows die from bites!

Excellent technical details and compelling subject. Good for you!!

tom

the last one is scary!

Fine work.

Morris

azbill wrote:
Thanks again for the many welcomes and kind words.
Peyton, the only pyro shot I currently have is of my cbb female. You never know though, tis the season!


Ah, well I hope you turn up something nice in habitat I'm guessing August is a good time for scaly critters if the rains play in your favor?

Thank you Howard, Tom, and Morris. I really appreciate the positive comments. There's a lot of fine photography on this site, it means alot to get positive feedback here.
mkweaver, he was about 3', maybe a little more. They can strike 1/2 to 2/3 their body length. For the most part, he was quite calm. He did rattle a bit, as you can see in the 2nd pic, but he never did strike.
I have a very healthy respect for them. I have seen two people get bit right before my eyes, and have seen the effects of many other bites. Believe me, I don't ever want to go through it myslef.
The 70-200mm has a minimum focus distance of 5'. Although I may appear very close to the snake, I was at least 5' back from him.
Peyton, Aug is great. The rains have already started here in Az. I plan on spending a week straight in the field in Aug!
Bill

Welcome.
I like the dof in the first and the s/s in 2.
The slight blur of the rattle in the second works well.
Very good first post.

Where I like we have rattelers and cooperheads, I will be very happy if these photos are all I see of venemous snakes this year. There is not much that compares to kneeling down in the woods and hearing that rattle, or looking down to see a coiled cooperhead.

Did I mention that I dislike snakes?

marty

i thought these guys were suppose to be placid!

great shots, i am jealous, the only AZ rattlers i have encountered are AZ blacks.

Hi Marty, thank you for the comments. While I don't get the pleasure of seeing coiled Copperheads in these parts, I sure like the sound of a rattle! I realize not everyone feels the same though.
big country, he was fairly calm, but blacktails are notorious for rattling even when not neccessary. I've had a few "give themselves away" by rattling as I was driving dirt roads. They were well off the road and never would've been seen, but they sounded off and gave themselves up.
Az blacks are always a treat to see! Spend a few minutes in the Az deserts this time of yr, and you'll see several different species no problem.