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Orpheo Verdo ... in slumber mode.


Orpheo Verdo ... in slumber mode.
Photo Information
Copyright: Jay Meeuwig (Shoot_Score) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 445 W: 302 N: 670] (2376)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-07-01
Categories: Reptiles, Bushveld
Camera: Fuji FinePix 3800, Fujinon 6X Zoom f=6-36mm 1:2.8-3.0
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-04-13 10:39
Viewed: 5287
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
... aka Green Pretzel: head to tail ...

Imagine my surprise in the Summer of 2003 when I walked out in my yard and found a shy snake sleeping on some crushed gravel right next to the flagstone path I as walking on. I am sure that the "noise" of my shoes caused the snake to come out of its slumber. Even so it took a bit before it really moved its head... This snake is quite a smooth customer! It might have been in the sunshine when it fell asleep and before I found it.

I was/am very grateful that this snake had assumed the pretzel position, for that allowed me to get all of the snake in my frame, head to toe.


I trust that me identification is correct but shall defer to Snakeman < our very own herpetologist aka Horia > for a positive ID.

Here is what I found in Wiki:
The Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a non-venomous North American snake, also called a 'Grass Snake' in American English.
It is a snake of increasing conservation concern in some U.S. states.

The snake is bright green and found mainly in moist meadows, prairies and clearings in coniferous forest. They are almost entirely insectivorous eating mainly crickets, grasshoppers, and smooth caterpillars.


Tech stuff: Shot with my Fuji3800; photo rotated 30 degrees to get the most in; scaled and some colour saturation

PS I put this shot up as WE had more SNOW and ICE < freezing rain >
... and I am so TIRED of IT ! :-(
marjan, delic, horia, pablominto, Alex99, clnaef, s_a_s_h_a, loot, anniejo, mlines has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To loot: ... the complete snake in the frame ...Shoot_Score 2 05-03 09:32
To mlines: The gravel it is lying on is a perfect contrastShoot_Score 1 04-28 21:15
To dew77: Well caught,Shoot_Score 1 04-28 21:14
To heidi: It's a pity that the head isn't more visible ...Shoot_Score 1 04-28 21:13
To anniejo: The blue stones play off the vibrant green of tShoot_Score 1 04-28 21:11
To s_a_s_h_a: Amazing combination of snake's and rocks's coShoot_Score 1 04-28 21:08
To claudine: beautiful specieShoot_Score 1 04-28 21:06
To clnaef: Bel entrelacement bien misShoot_Score 1 04-28 21:06
To Alex99: nice model posed for you excellently.Shoot_Score 1 04-28 21:04
To bobair: didn't know we had any green snakes...Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:59
To arfer: Grass snakes are declining ...Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:58
To pablominto: Nice pose from your green friend!Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:56
To Adanac: hide the head like this it's a defensive move.Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:53
To horia: You are correct, this is a Opheodrys vernalis...Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:51
To Nilson: uma exelente qualidade meus parabénz.Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:50
To delic: Good thing it was curled up, as you say.Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:48
To Aramok: what a wonderful coloured snake.Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:47
To marjan: and good useful info. ...Shoot_Score 1 04-28 20:45
To mlines: The gravel it is lying on is a perfect contrastShoot_Score 1 04-22 07:24
To heidi: It's a pity that the head isn't more visibleShoot_Score 2 04-18 10:22
To loot: if you had your balaclava onShoot_Score 3 04-17 21:47
To loot: if you had your balaclava onShoot_Score 1 04-17 19:29
To claudine: Today's weather here is apocalyptical...Shoot_Score 1 04-16 22:18
To clnaef: par le support pierreux. ...Shoot_Score 1 04-15 12:49
To Alex99: Amazing combination of snake's and rocks'sShoot_Score 1 04-15 12:47
To bobair: Green and yellow are my favorite colours,,,Shoot_Score 2 04-15 09:44
To bobair: Green and yellow are my favorite colours,,,Shoot_Score 1 04-15 00:11
To arfer: Snakes are difficult subjects ...Shoot_Score 1 04-14 21:36
To Adanac: head like this it's a defensive moveShoot_Score 1 04-13 22:04
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Critiques [Translate]

hi Jay, excelent shot and good useful info.
Marjan

Jay

what a wonderful coloured snake. We have nothign like it in the UK (not naturally anyway) and you have really shown its wonderful colour off well. Offset against the bluish/grey of the stones and against the leaf, it really shows the size quite well as well.

TFS
Emma

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 440 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-04-13 11:57]
  • [+]

Hello Jay,
Interesting color. Looks quite harmless. Good thing it was curled up, as you say. Nicely captured with excellent color fidelity and sharpness. Regards,
Hakan

Uma linda cobra muito bem fotografada com uma exelente qualidade meus parabénz.
Nilson

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2007-04-13 12:09]
  • [+]

Hi Jay

No wonder you are so tired of snow and ice :)) I'm sure you would really welcome spring :)
This is a splendid photo, my friend!
It's not easy to get an entire snake in good focus (i know that), but you've done an admirable job!
You are correct, this is a Opheodrys vernalis and seemed very jind, letting you get so close and take a shot :)
The details and textures are great and the color and contras with the BG is exceptional.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2007-04-13 21:19]
  • [+]

Hello Jay,
Excellent capture with sharp details and vivid colors. He shows off very well on the grey rock, when our rattlesnakes hide thier head like this it's a defensive move. Great work old friend.
Rick

Hello Jay,
Nice pose from your green friend!
Personally I associate green snakes with rather venomous creatures, but I trust your information here and that makes me more friendly to the subject...
Good details and as always it pays off to carry the camera most of the time!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-04-14 21:22]
  • [+]

Hello Jay

Very nicely done.Snakes are difficult subjects and you have captured this one very well.Grass snakes are declining in this area,and are rarer to see now.I am happy to see this one.Very good detail and colour saturation.Well composed with a very good POV showing it tuck it's head in.TFS

Rob

Hi Jay,
this is really something new to me as I didn't know we had any green snakes here in Canada.Green and yellow are my favorite colours and this shade of green has caught my eye big time.I sure do like this one and you have done well in your capture of it,with good focus and detail.Tfs Bob

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2007-04-15 10:46]
  • [+]

Hi Jay.
It is really great picture in any respect. Your nice model posed for you excellently. Amazing combination of snake's and rocks's colour tones. Terrific sharpness and details of all captured objects. Lighting is perfect too. Bravo an my best wishes. Also be careful: )))
Alexei.

Bonjour,
Bel entrelacement bien mis en évidence par le support pierreux.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hi Jay,
This is a wonderful coloured snake and nice shot. Amazing combination of snake's and rocks's colors.
Lighting is perfect too.

Well done
Alex

Hello Jay,
Today's weather here is apocalyptical... Freezing rain, some such heavy winds that it is almost scary... Anyway... This is a beautiful specie that you had the chance to see in your garden! I like its color a lot and this typical pose you captured. Exposure, POV and details are good. TFS this nice one!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2007-04-17 12:19]
  • [2] [+]

Hi Jaap

I am sure that if you had your balaclava on at the time you saw this snake you would have jumped right out of it. No matter how brave (or daft) anyone might be, but to see a snake right next to you suddenly gives you the "jumps" and make your step stretch just that couple of extra inches. Then later you find out it was actually a non-venomous snake and you feel a little silly, even if you know that nobody saw you do the jump. Sounds like you might know what I mean with a title like "Rude Awakening" since I doubt that you were actually referring to the snake's arousing.

This is a lovely composition with the complete snake in the frame and with such great details. Due to the obvious problem with the length of snakes one seldom sees this. The colours are splendid and I just like how the green of the snake stands in contrast to the bluish colour of the gravel stones. The exposure was also very well controlled showing excellent contrasts in the lovely textures of the reptile’s skin.

Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

I LOVE the colors in this photo. The blue stones play off the vibrant green of the snake, OR, is it the other way around?

Seems as if this snake is shielding his eyes from the light...I do that sometimes too, especially when I'm not quite ready to awaken in the a.m.;+))

Great BG....you've captured the bit of sunlight in the upper right, that adds a lot of "texture" to this shot, and gives the green snake an almost opaque look.

Great job!

  • Great 
  • heidi (78)
  • [2007-04-18 9:44]
  • [+]

Hi Jay,
Very brave of you for facing a snake. I have to say that I have a little problem to look at this photo... I will imagine that it's a plastic one :)
The colours are very good, you've managed very well in catching the bright green, and the textures are great seeing all the details in the snake skin and is position is funny.
It's a pity that the head isn't more visible (viewer opinion not personal).
Good work,
Aida :)

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2007-04-19 2:15]
  • [+]

Hello Jay,
Very nice shot.Well caught,framed and composed.
TFs..:-)

Hi Jay. Beautiful capture of this snake. The gravel it is lying on is a perfect contrast to show the subject well. Clarity is 100%. Good work and notes. Murray.

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