Photographing Snakes

Nearly titled this "Shooting Snakes" but thought that might mislead some. I don't kill snakes anymore, even the poisonous ones. I'm afraid with the loss of habitat and the senseless killing is cutting into the populations of some of these interesting reptiles.

I try to "shoot" my snake photos in as natural a pose as possible. Sure, the classic photos of a coiled killer serpent, ready to strike if an innocent person twitches is a big seller. But I try to put as little stress on my wild subjects (birds, mammals, insects, and reptiles) as possible.

As much as I like snakes I do take some reasonable precautions. Number one, I don't get too close. This is for my safety as well as the snake's. I recommend a moderate to long telephoto lens. I used to shoot snakes with a Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro. Great optic and kept me at a safe distance. Now I use a Canon 70-200mm f2.8, usually with a Kenko 1.4x teleconverter. Much better in low light, very sharp and...gives me even more distance from the subject.

Another good idea is to not only move slowly and smoothly but to ensure you leave the snake an escape route if he decides to take off, photo or not. Unless cornered the snakes on this continent will flee if given a choice. They don't want you, you're too big for them to swallow.

Best time to look for snakes is during the early or late part of the day. They usually stay in shady places during the heat of the day. This is ideal, photographically, since the best light to shoot by is also early and late in the day.

When you're doing close-up photography depth of field is hard to maintain. This becomes very apparent when you're photographing a subject that is a foot and a half to three or four feet long. As with all critters, make sure the eyes are in focus. They're the most important feature in the photo.

If possible get some close up shots and some showing the snake in its environment

Attracting Hummingbirds

Want a challenge? Try shooting hummingbirds! Many professional photographers are constantly fine tuning their techniques. You can get great images of the smallest birds but it takes practice. The first step is to learn about hummingbirds, this includes which species you have in your area and how to attract them.
Hummingbirds are migratory. They spend winters in South and Central America. In fact, they started their fall migration earlier this month. They will continue to migrate through southeast Texas until mid-October, so you have a lot of time to practice.
Putting up feeders is the best way to lure hummers to within camera range. Do NOT use red dye in the sugar water in the feeders. The red on the feeders will attract them. Some prepackaged feeder solutions come with red dye, I know. But don't use it. I mix plain granulated sugar in water, 4-to-1 ratio (for instance, 1/4 cup of sugar in a cup of water). Buy feeders that you can dismantle easily to clean. Change the solution every few days, mold and mildew form quickly.
Multiple feeders are a good idea. If you can, place these feeders out of line of sight of each other. This will cut down on hummers dueling over the food source. They are very territorial and aggressive toward each other.
Before setting up your gear just sit and observe for a few hours every day. After a while they'll get used to you and you'll be surprised how close you can get to them. This is helpful if you don't have a really long lens. Depending on the orientation of the sunlight and how fast you want to shoot you may want to deploy strobes.
Lastly, don't worry that feeding hummingbirds will prevent them from migrating to warmer climes in a timely fashion. It won't. One day you'll watch your feeders, and not see anymore hummers. By Halloween you'll take your feeders down, clean them and put them away 'til spring.

Photo Blinds On Four Wheels

Most animals don't have a natural fear of vehicles. This is evident when you drive down almost any road or highway and see the carnage. The bright side is photographers can use their vehicle as a blind. There are a few advantages over a static outdoor blind.
First, you have a climate-controlled location to shoot from. This means a lot when it's extremely cold or hot outside. It also keeps precipitation, dust and direct sun off your gear, and you. This is gear you haven't had to carry anywhere to get the shot. It's right there at your finger tips.
Secondly, you're much more mobile. If your quarry gets spooked and runs or flies away its easy to relocate without major disruptions.
When you find a suitable subject try to make a gradual stop. Turn off the engine. You don't want any vibration. Turn off your radio, too. White Snake or Led Zeppelin blaring from your "blind" might blow your cover!
Use a beanbag or folded towel to set your lens or camera on. I found a U-shaped neck pillow at a second hand store that is perfect for bracing a lens on the door frame. Cost a whole buck. Monopods or even a tripod is a stable platform. With the tripod keep two legs together between the side of the seat and the door. Extend the third leg to brace against the other door or passenger side of the seat.
Of course, the price of fuel is a factor to consider. But the slow speeds and stopping the engine when you shoot should help keep you out of the poorhouse. Another disadvantage is that you are limited to places with roads. Although nothing says you can't get out and wander, on foot, into the woods for a closer shot. Just remember to lock your vehicle and don't trespass.
I've done this kind of shooting in parks, refuges, rural roads and in suburbs. Be extremely cautious if you choose to do this on a highway, though. I'd advise against it. It could be very dangerous. It may also be illegal, depending on the roadway.

Great photo ops at National Wildlife Refuges

Want to photograph wildlife? Go to where the wildlife are. One of the best places to go are the National Wildlife Refuges. I have found all manner of reptiles, birds and mammals. These wildlife refuges were primarily set aside as habitat for migratory birds. In fact, the first was designated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903: Florida's Pelican Island. Now there are 540 refuges around the country totaling 95 million acres. A large percentage of this land was purchased by money from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps. To learn more go to: www.fws.gov.

The really good news is entry, in most cases, is free. Perfect for a struggling photographer on a budget. There aren't many amenities but these places were designed for wildlife not people. They generally open at sunrise and close shortly after sunset (calling ahead is always a good idea). There is hunting allowed in parts of these refuges on designated days but this hasn't affected my visits.

Bring your longest, fastest lenses for the 'gator shots and shy birds. But don't neglect your macro lenses and flash. There are usually a ton of dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. There are also biting flies and mosquitoes so bring repellent. I most often visit during the late fall and winter months. Fewer biting bugs and more unique migrant birds. On a sunny day in winter the alligators will be out soaking up rays. You'll get some great shots of them for your files. There is even a herd of bison at the Attwater's Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge just outside Sealy, TX.

I usually shoot from my car. Most of the animals are acclimated to vehicles and really don't pay that much attention to them. There are a few blinds set up in some of the refuges for photographers and wildlife watchers. But they are in pretty bad repair most of the time. Also consider damage from Hurricane Ike will still be evident on the man-made structures. Again, call ahead. I have always found refuge staff very helpful and willing to give you updates on conditions.

Opportunities

Location, location, location! That’s the supposed mantra for real estate agents when it comes to selling their products. It’s also a serious consideration for photographers. Most nature photogs know that interesting subjects can be found in their own backyards or in the local park. But nothing gets the creative juices going like a wild area.
National Parks are great places shoot natural images but they aren’t always very easy to access for the weekend or even an afternoon. Most seem to be a long way from where we live. Some more easily reached, and less crowded, public lands are wilderness areas, national wildlife refuges and wildlife management areas. The first two are usually federally owned and maintained. The third, at least in Texas, are state owned or regulated jointly by state and federal entities.
Little Lake Creek Wilderness Area is approximately 45 minutes from where I live. It’s imbedded in the Sam Houston National Forest, just north of Montgomery, TX. Unlike the rest of the national forest it is off-limits to logging, mineral exploitation or any other development. Almost 4,000 acres of relative constancy. No need to tell photographers what a boon this is to our vocation. That particular grove of bottomland hardwoods will only grow larger. Those palmetto flats will remain, never to be turned into soccer fields. The creek will only be dammed by beavers.
The one concession to development is hiking trails, maintained by the Lone Star Hiking Trail Association. This allows access, by foot. No motor vehicles are allowed. I highly recommend you stay close to the trails and get a good map of the wilderness, available from the National Forest website: http://www.fs.fed.us/
There are five other wilderness areas in eastern Texas, maybe closer to you than this one is to me. Look them up and explore. You’re in for a treat. Next time I’ll talk about the national wildlife refuges, truly one of this nation’s treasures.

Backpacking photogs

This time of year a lot of people like to get into the outdoors. Lots of flowers blooming, birds nesting and other active wildlife. It's also a great time to take pictures. Some good images can be taken by hanging out the car window, or at least stepping out. But the really best shots involve taking a short or moderate hike down a trail. This isn't a problem if most of your camera gear will fit in a shirt pocket. But if you're like most of us interested in outdoor photography you quickly accumulate equipment.
One of the best ways to get you and the gear to that great shot of a waterfall, wildflower meadow or colorful beetle is a backpack. There are backpacks designed for carrying photo gear but a regular day pack will suffice. Most of them have a lot of side pockets for cables, memory cards, batteries, etc. with a nice main compartment for the camera and lenses. Hand towels and thick sweat socks offer very effective, and economical, padding. You can pick these up at garage and yard sales.
Pack a large trash bag and some gallon resealable plastic bags. These are perfect for protecting your gear from those sudden summer thunder storms. You might even have room to pack a pancho to keep yourself dry.