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GeorgeSalt
Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 336 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:32 pm Post subject: Vipera berus.. |
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GeorgeSalt wrote:
Having tried my Pentacon 200mm on my last snake-hunt and found it lacking both in reach and close-focussing ability, I reverted back to the trusty Sigma 70-300mm APO. I keep telling myself to sell this lens as it's generally unremarkable except in good light. But it does have a decent reach, and it does focus closely for it's focal length. And LR4 does wonders for noise reduction.
The adders have eluded my camera ever since I started looking for snakes in the local woods. They're just to shy, elusive and fast. I've seen them many times, but usually behind deep cover and disappearing out of view before I can get the camera raised. This one I almost overlooked next to the path. But it made the trip worthwhile, even if it was the only snake I spotted all morning. It completes my set of every species of reptile in the woods (adder, grass snake, slow worm, common lizard). |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8979 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:13 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
Nice capture,Is it hard to find your subjects? _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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Excalibur
Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 5017 Location: UK
Expire: 2014-04-21
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Excalibur wrote:
Nice clear shot...but I'd like to see adders eliminated at least from England because of the danger to small children. Years ago, when at the bottom of my garden was an open field, the common grass snakes used to like my compost heap and when turning the compost over would find eggs.....one year a snake was trying to swallow a large toad (back end first) and the toad didn't seem to care as it wasn't struggling and seemed to except its fate, but I thought a toad was more valuable in my garden for slugs etc so touched the snake and it let the toad go. _________________ Canon A1, AV1, T70 & T90, EOS 300 and EOS300v, Chinon CE and CP-7M. Contax 139, Fuji STX-2, Konica Autoreflex TC, FS-1, FT-1, Minolta X-700, X-300, XD-11, SRT101b, Nikon EM, FM, F4, F90X, Olympus OM2, Pentax S3, Spotmatic, Pentax ME super, Praktica TL 5B, & BC1, , Ricoh KR10super, Yashica T5D, Bronica Etrs, Mamiya RB67 pro AND drum roll:- a Sony Nex 3
.........past gear Tele Rolleiflex and Rollei SL66.
Many lenses from good to excellent. |
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parabellumfoto
Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:35 am Post subject: |
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parabellumfoto wrote:
Excalibur wrote: |
Nice clear shot...but I'd like to see adders eliminated at least from England because of the danger to small children. Years ago, when at the bottom of my garden was an open field, the common grass snakes used to like my compost heap and when turning the compost over would find eggs.....one year a snake was trying to swallow a large toad (back end first) and the toad didn't seem to care as it wasn't struggling and seemed to except its fate, but I thought a toad was more valuable in my garden for slugs etc so touched the snake and it let the toad go. |
There's a YouTube video of a frog getting swallowed by a snake near a pond. The snake goes into the water, frog almost eaten with just the head sticking out. Anyways, another frog jumps out and the snake freaks out and releases the frog.
As for photographing snakes, I don't think I would be game enough to even try. As a kid up in the bush in Forster I saw a large Red Belly Black Snake pass me nearby. That really got my heart racing.
Funny thing was there were quite a few Kookaburras also keeping a keen eye on the snake. A big meal for them if they could manage to catch and kill it, but I doubt it they could. This snake was huge! _________________ Minolta MC Rokkor f1.4 50mm
Minolta MD Zoom Macro 35-105mm f3.5-4.5
Nikon Nikkor 50mm F2
Nippon Kogaku Japan Nikkor-S Auto 5cm F2
Nippon Kogaku Japan Nikkor-Q Auto 135mm F2.8
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm F1.8G
http://www.parabellumfoto.com/ |
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Excalibur
Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 5017 Location: UK
Expire: 2014-04-21
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Excalibur wrote:
parabellumfoto wrote: |
Excalibur wrote: |
Nice clear shot...but I'd like to see adders eliminated at least from England because of the danger to small children. Years ago, when at the bottom of my garden was an open field, the common grass snakes used to like my compost heap and when turning the compost over would find eggs.....one year a snake was trying to swallow a large toad (back end first) and the toad didn't seem to care as it wasn't struggling and seemed to except its fate, but I thought a toad was more valuable in my garden for slugs etc so touched the snake and it let the toad go. |
There's a YouTube video of a frog getting swallowed by a snake near a pond. The snake goes into the water, frog almost eaten with just the head sticking out. Anyways, another frog jumps out and the snake freaks out and releases the frog.
As for photographing snakes, I don't think I would be game enough to even try. As a kid up in the bush in Forster I saw a large Red Belly Black Snake pass me nearby. That really got my heart racing.
Funny thing was there were quite a few Kookaburras also keeping a keen eye on the snake. A big meal for them if they could manage to catch and kill it, but I doubt it they could. This snake was huge! |
What I've read, Australia is one of the most dangerous places on earth, esp those lethal jellyfish _________________ Canon A1, AV1, T70 & T90, EOS 300 and EOS300v, Chinon CE and CP-7M. Contax 139, Fuji STX-2, Konica Autoreflex TC, FS-1, FT-1, Minolta X-700, X-300, XD-11, SRT101b, Nikon EM, FM, F4, F90X, Olympus OM2, Pentax S3, Spotmatic, Pentax ME super, Praktica TL 5B, & BC1, , Ricoh KR10super, Yashica T5D, Bronica Etrs, Mamiya RB67 pro AND drum roll:- a Sony Nex 3
.........past gear Tele Rolleiflex and Rollei SL66.
Many lenses from good to excellent. |
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GeorgeSalt
Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 336 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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GeorgeSalt wrote:
Excalibur wrote: |
Nice clear shot...but I'd like to see adders eliminated at least from England because of the danger to small children. |
I suggest you move to Ireland.
mo wrote: |
Nice capture,Is it hard to find your subjects? |
In this particular location snakes aren't hard to find at the right time of year and with favourable weather. Grass snakes are far more common and on a good day I can find a dozen or so in a 20 metre stretch of path.
Adders are much rarer, until now they've always been behind deep cover and very quick to spook and disappear into the undergrowth. This one was alert to my presence as soon as I stopped to watch it. Within a couple of minutes it headed off.
The site also has slow worms and common lizards.
The snakes are well known by most people that use the wood, and everyone I've spoken to in the woods respects and admires them. If I'm walking about with long lens and an intent look at the ground most people will guess what I'm looking for and kids on bikes, dog walkers, etc. will generally say if they've seen one that morning and where. I used to be quite secretive about the best spots within the wood, fearing ignorance and superstition of some might cause them to do the snakes harm. But everyone local seems to know where they are. |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8979 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:01 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
I would love to capture a snake...via the camera and long lens of course,unfortunately the snakes here are deadly so I don't tend to go looking for them...
I have been in Australia 20+ years and have seen only a handful of live snakes, most have been dead run over on the road.We have two of the most deadliest where I live, the eastern brown and the tiger snake,both aggressive.They grow quite large from the ones I have seen crossing the road.I hope to be able to capture one on camera eventually...as long as I see it first and it's not too close.My husband has handled these snakes twice...not by choice...both times he was reaching under a rock / long grass....thankfully he grabbed and released (quite quickly) the non dangerous end.
I personally would only kill a snake if it was directly around my house and a direct threat to my children (snakes are protected here), and only if I could do it safely without injury to myself.Having said that, thankfully there are snake handlers that you can ring and they will come and remove the snake.
Are the snakes (adders and grass snakes) native to England?,I don't know much about them over there.Have you got any other images you could post perhaps in the photographers cafe?? _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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GeorgeSalt
Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 336 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 7:56 am Post subject: |
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GeorgeSalt wrote:
The UK has three native snakes - the grass snake, the adder and the smooth snake. The last one is rare and not found locally. There are also lizards, including the slow worm and the common lizard. There are a couple of other lizards as well, but again not found locally. All reptiles are protected in the UK - it's illegal to kill, harm or trade them. Some species have greater protection (eg. smooth snake).
Might as well keep thing in one thread..
Grass snakes..
And there's a video here, www.flickr.com/photos/saltgeorge/8012305207/ |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8979 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:08 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
Excellent images what lens did you use,they must have been sunning themselves as the light looks very good.They are quite colorful I did not realize England has such a variety of native snakes.
My Pc is not the best when it comes to viewing flickr videos, but from what I saw you did a very good job capturing those snakes.
Thanks for sharing these,
In regards to a Manual lens being used for your snake hunting have you tried a Tamron 103A (80-210) it might not have the long reach but it does very well as an all round lens.I find it's light and easy to focus,I use it for taking rugby photos. _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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GeorgeSalt
Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 336 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 7:11 am Post subject: |
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GeorgeSalt wrote:
Of the last three images, the middle one was using a Pentacon 200mm f/4 and the others were using a Sony HX20V compact.
The ideal lens would probably be between 200mm and 300mm, and must close focus. MFD needs to be around 4'. Not that I can always get that close, but it would be nice.
I have tried using the Pentacon 200mm with extension tubes to gain close-focussing at the expense of infinity focus, I'm still refining this and testing it around the garden. |
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NikonD
Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 1922 Location: Slovenija
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Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 12:10 am Post subject: |
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NikonD wrote:
May I join?
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GeorgeSalt
Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 336 Location: Norfolk, UK
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Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:40 am Post subject: |
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GeorgeSalt wrote:
NikonD wrote: |
May I join?
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Only if you tell us what they are
(top one looks like an adder, but the markings are subtly different - regional variations?) |
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NikonD
Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 1922 Location: Slovenija
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Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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NikonD wrote:
The first one is Vipera aspis (or berus, really don't know), the second is Vipera ammodytes or modras as we call it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_ammodytes |
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