Photo tips for fast moving snakes?

[icygirl]

I see so many pictures of snakes sitting calmly in light tents for pictures... how is this done? Even my ball pythons will not sit still for photos; even if I take them right out of a nap, they will usually wake up fairly quickly and start moving around. (I think they've forgotten that they're 'BALL' pythons and they should ball up for pictures!) I have two colubrids also, and they're obviously even tougher to photograph. Any tips?

[Mettle]

Having an assistant who is comfortable and knowledgeable with snakes is invaluable. It frees you up to actually take the shots yourself.

Having a proper setup is also good. Proper backgrounds, lighting, camera settings, etc. allow you to snap the pictures very quickly.

Knowing your snake helps as well. I find that a lot of snakes, when bugged and woken up, tend to be go-go-go for a little bit but many settle down well after a little handling. There are always exceptions, of course. So plopping them down right away for a photoshoot may not be the best method.

And the ultimate key... have patience. I haven't done much at all with my snakes but when it comes to my geckos I take a hundred pics to get a dozen good, useable ones. It's just how it goes.

[mainbutter]

With any animal photos, the #1 key is be patient, don't rush it, and take LOTS of photos.

I read about a professional pet photographer who would spend literally an entire day with each client's pet to make sure she got the perfect photo.

[CeraDigital]

Take a bowl, and put it in the refrigerator.... let it get cool, not cold. Take the snake out and put it on the backdrop. Set the bowl over it and let them sit for a few. Have someone pull the bowl off while you get ready to snap your pictures. The snake should sit still long enough to get a good 5-10 shots off.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Luck helps with colubrid no doubts I have a few of them and honestly I think I only have 4 or 5 pictures.

Make sure your setup is ready take your animal out shoot away and hope that maybe a picture or two will turn out good.

Know when you snake as enough when he start moving like crazy is he pretty much done and if you keep trying taking shots all you do is really waste your time.

I found young BP easier to photograph than older ones, I do not have many shots of my adults.

I litterally take hundreds of pictures of the same animal and usually keep on good shot (if I am lucky)

One trick I heard about but I never tried is to use a cool bowl to put on the top of your snake right before the shoot.

[wolfy-hound]

I personally use the "curse a lot" method. I find it warms my subject well. A camera that can catch a moving target, and a wide area to photograph in helps too. Sometimes a prop that the animal can hang out on or next to can keep them in one place long enough to get a few shots.
I also do the 100-1 picture ratio. You take one hundred shots, before you say "This is one &#$%&^$!!!"
Good luck

[aaronjones]

Take a bowl, and put it in the refrigerator.... let it get cool, not cold. Take the snake out and put it on the backdrop. Set the bowl over it and let them sit for a few. Have someone pull the bowl off while you get ready to snap your pictures. The snake should sit still long enough to get a good 5-10 shots off.

I agree. I have used this method many times with colubrids and fast moving lizards and it usually works like a charm. Its also serves to get the animal (especially snakes) into a nice, compact pose so that you can get the entire body in the shot. Here a few pics that would have been impossible for me without the help of a water bowl:








Another thing that I think helps is to bring the animal's cage over to your photo setup and transfer the animal right from its cage to the background, disturbing it as little as possible. I find that the more you handle them prior to setting them down, the more active and problematic they become.

Good luck!

Aaron

[stratus_020202]

Whoa! Check out that nose. What is that?

[Spaniard]

Whoa! Check out that nose. What is that?

Rhino Ratsnake

[stratus_020202]

Oh. lol. I wouldn't be able to own one because every time I walked by the enclosure I wouldn't be able to pick myself up off the floor.