Snake skin and eyeball.

[jfoureyes]

I got this last week on the south side Elm Lake at BBSP. This is one of my favorite snakes to find because their markings are so colorful. This one was lying on a log catching some rays and there was no way I'd pass up a chance to get a few photos of this beauty. I parked my tail on the side of the trail as low as I could get with my tripod and AF 75-300/4.5-5.6 and got to work on it until some folks came by and it slid off into the water.
Thanks for looking!

[CaptainTom]

Jim
I don't generally comment on snake or bird photos because I'm not good at them. But, this is a really exceptional photograph.

[dlanter]

Jim, all I can think to say is WOW. That is cool in so many ways.

[ttusa]

WOW the texture and sharpness of the eye are fabulous, Jim!! What kind of snake is this??

[Patti Edens]

Wow! Great composition and background. That is an awesome photo.

[mjdmike]

That's a great shot Jim. Excellent comp., and love the color and detail of the scales.

[jfoureyes]

Thanks all of you for the kind comments. Therese this is a broadbanded water snake non-venomous... Oops guess I should have ID the little darlin' ... Sorry

[Dave In La]

darn it....I posted to this.
I too often hit the link back to Nature & Wildlife and not submit....duh!!!

Love this, excellent dof and color...and I wrote that I hope you can put me on one when/if I make it down your way. Would love to shoot one with a canon

[slickshooter]

Dang good job Jim
That's a really cool broadbanded watersnake.Looks like a fairly large one at that.
That's a wallhanger for sure.

[DigitalScape]

What an image Jim!! great color, DOF, and amazing texture!!!

[ifly223]

Wow, I was just watching the "Snake Wrangler" on the Science Channel. This shot is just as good if not better than his stuff. Of course that crazy guy plays with them before photographing them. : )

[ElanR]

Excellent Jim! The composition is so perfect, it almost looks posed.

I shot one of these swimming yesterday, right by the shoreline too. They look much nicer out of the water though.

[jfoureyes]

Thanks Dave... by golly we could try to find one of these dudes, as you know in nature nothing is certain. This is the first one I've found this year and I think it was the ol' right place at the right time circumstances. I was actually looking for a big ol' cottonmouth to shoot. Usually when I see them they are in the grass or water and not good for photos. Patti and I saw a small one last year on a trail, but the photos aren't all that good. You come on down and we'll give it a go.

Thanks Dennis...this one was about 3' long I would estimate

Thanks for the comments John and James!

Thanks Elan! I usually see them in the water as well...This guy was just warming up from the morning coolness I think. Sure made me happy!

[Glassman]

Jim, that's awesome! I was going to say WOW but someone beat me to it.

[tech1961]

Beautiful shot Jim