Fence Lizard

Howdy folks,

Photography is another one of my hobbies, though I don't spend near as much time with it as I do goofing off with Xara. My favorite subjects are animals, birds, and insects. Mostly insects. This picture is one of the few that is not a bug. LOL

Can't afford a good flash system so all my photos are done with available light. This one was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, with a close-up diopter lens. The leaves in the tree line just behind the lizard made for a nice green background.

Mark(aka buckobeck)

Stunning result, Mark. More please!
Saludos,
Bob.

Agreed, great shot Mark.

Thanks Sledger and Bob.

I have built a few frog ponds in my yard over the years. This a one of the resident bullfrogs.

Your macro work is astonishing - are these photos touched up afterwards? The clarity is excellent. Either you have some phenomenal camera equipment or a master of touchup or both. No matter how you get them - they're great.

Hi glenngosack, tough I do touch up some of them, most of my photos are presented in their unadulterated original format. When i do touch them up it usually involves something such as blurring excessive noise, etc. I'm pretty good a photo manipulation but I generally don't. My equipment is average at best.

Panosonic Lumix DMC/FZ8 with close-up lens.
Nikon D-50 with a 60mm macro lens, assorted diopters.

My secret (aside from patience) is simply this, I take about 20 or 30 photos with different exposures, etc and pick out the best one. Even with this method I sometimes don't acquire a shot I'm happy with. That's what makes digital cameras so great, you can afford to experiment until you get it right.

Also my friend, remember, you can take great photos with average equipment. Trust me on this.

For clarity in macro. Use a tripod of something else to steady your camera, at these shallow fields of depth even a slight movement can throw it out of focus.

Thanks for your interest and appreciation.

This is one I took of a Gray Tree Frog, bright green specimens such as this one are often seen. I used it for a calender cover a while back and I liked the logo so I left it on. The logo, of course, was created in Xara.

Caught this Ribbon snake crossing a hayfield that had recently been cut.

This is a photo of a spring peeper. They are
one of the first frogs to come out in the spring,
hopefully we will be seeing these soon.

Attachment 106547

Really impressive. Thanks for sharing them.

Thanks and you're welcome.

I really like he fence lizard Mark. He looks mean. Reminds me of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" movie, the one with Pat Boone. Anyway if he was very big I'd sure hate to run into him.

Hi Larry, I remember that movie and I would hate to run in to him if he were that big too. Fortunately he is only 4" long including the tail.

Here's a close up of a box turtle. I like macro photography so
I try to get as close as I can even when the subjects aren't especially small.
He looks kind of annoyed huh?

Attachment 106565

Looks kind of like a little king sitting on his throne don't he?

Attachment 106718

Yes he does.

This is another shot of a ribbon snake. I caught this one slithering across
the forest floor and was lucky to get this shot before he disappeared into
the blanket of leaves.

Attachment 106789

A couple of turtles from Logan creek.

Attachment 107230

Attachment 107231

The last time I picked up a turtle it must have been scared because it pp'd on my hand. ;)) Bad turtle.

Found a lined snake in the woods. He wasn't happy to see me.

Attachment 109902

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by buckobeck

Here's a close up of a box turtle. I like macro photography so
I try to get as close as I can even when the subjects aren't especially small.
He looks kind of annoyed huh?

Attachment 106565

---

He's probably annoyed because of the bloodsucker on his neck!
Great photos

Thank you Big Frank.

Forgot to mention that my photo of the fence lizard in the first post of this thread won the reptiles and amphibians category in the of the October 2012 issue of the Missouri Conservationist Magazine's 75th anniversary photo contest. You can see it on page 30 of the issue is you want to check out the PDF version HERE.

It's a great magazine and well worth checking out, even if you don't like lizards. LOL

They also have a hard copy version you can subscribe to and have mailed to your house. You can do that HERE. It's free if you live in Missouri, a very small subscription fee if you don't.

Congratulations Mark. Beautiful photo.

Thanks Larry. That was one I could check off my bucket list, it was always a dream of mine to win a category in a photo contest.

A snake selfie. Not a great wildlife photograph, just wanted to show off the pretty Speckled King Snake I caught in my yard the other day. King snakes have a docile disposition and even wild ones are easily handled. They make great pets, but I took this ones picture and let it go.

Attachment 110280

Nice close-up shot of a green frog. If you look close you can see my reflection in its eye.

Attachment 110389

Tree frog on my wall.

Attachment 113705

Another box turtle portrait. :)

Attachment 113997

great photos mark, keep 'em coming !

I will, thanks Frank.

A green frog resting on a lily pad in my frog pond.

Attachment 114121