UPDATED* Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

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AsydaBass
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UPDATED* Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

Hey everyone,

I thought it might be good idea to start a thread where we can post our ideas for future threads such as: photo essays, broader monthly theme threads, and the like. It'd be nice to have all of these thoughts in one bank, as great ideas can sometimes be randomly posted in non-related threads and get lost. I'll throw in a couple of ideas from the top of my head to get things started.

-Don
http://www.rainforestdon.com

*NEW- I'll start putting all newly submitted ideas here in the first post to keep it a bit more organized.

Updated idea bank:

Mimicry- as it pertains to one animal mimicking another animal
Camouflage
Warnings- Herps displaying defensive and passive warning behavior (gaping, inflating, aposmatic warning coloration and/or patterns, etc...) DONE
Species Profiles- physical profiles, be it the specimen's head, whole body, dorsal or ventral view. Basically, a photograph showing only the animal and plain, more or less unicolor background IN PROGRESS
Diagnostic Closeups- DONE
Motion- DONE
Fall Colors DONE
Specialized Adaptations- We could showcase some of the neat morphological traits that our subjects have evolved over the eras, while adding a quick note to explain them
Breaking the Rules- "Non-traditional" nature photography
Reflections
Natural light
What's in a name?
- Post pictures of herps living up to their namesake, this can include behavioral observations or morphological, etc... Fence lizard sitting on a fence, box turtle being a box, Puffing snake puffing, you see where I'm going with this. Super easy, good for winter.
Herps in less-than-pristine or anthropogenically disturbed habitat
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

A few topics that I'd really like to see going (and they may have been done in the past):

Mimicry- as it pertains to one animal mimicking another animal
Camouflage-
Warnings- Herps displaying defensive and passive warning behavior (gaping, inflating, aposmatic warning coloration and/or patterns, etc...)
Species Profiles- physical profiles, be it the specimen's head, whole body, dorsal or ventral view. Basically, a photograph showing only the animal and plain, more or less unicolor background

-Don
http://www.rainforestdon.com
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chrish
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by chrish »

Don,

One of the things we want to try to achieve with our Photo Essays, etc., was to make sure they are photographic challenges rather than just photos of a particular species. I think your suggestions are excellent.

I was thinking about something along the lines of "diagnostic closeups" where you have to capture a photo that identifies a species (or group) of animal without showing any more than ~10% of the animal. Might be tough.
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

That's an excellent idea! There could be some very obvious entries, which are good, but that challenge also opens up some really interesting possibilities; my mind is already turning with ideas.

-Don
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chrish
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by chrish »

Anyone with more ideas for Photo Essays?

We haven't seen a lot of ideas posted to this message.
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Antonsrkn »

Heres a couple that I immediately thought of..

How about something like motion? Sure its easy (haha not really) to put a herp in a pretty pose and snap a photo, but what about some photos that show movement/action and the like?

or

It's October so maybe Fall colors...but only if you're ready to see alot of salamanders on fall leaves haha.
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

Antonsrkn wrote: It's October so maybe Fall colors...but only if you're ready to see alot of salamanders on fall leaves haha.
That's funny. I'm actually less than 24 hours away from photographing my first salamanders on fall leaves. This upcoming NAFHA meeting will be my first time in the "north" in autumn; I'm quite excited.

-Don
www.rainforestdon.com
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

Quick thought- How about something along the lines of specialized adaptations? We could showcase some of the neat morphological traits that our subjects have evolved over the eras, while adding a quick note to explain them. The result could be some really interesting animals... or 100 Heterodon shots and 200 Crotalus tails :lol:

-Don
http://www.RainforestDon.com
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Antonsrkn »

I like that last idea alot, not sure if I have many photos that would fit (besides said heterodon snouts) but that's not important, I want to see other peoples photos! I think that would lead to some very cool shots and explanations being posted.
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

Antonsrkn- I just returned from the NAFHA meeting in IL, and while there I took a picture specifically for you.

-Don
www.RainforestDon.com
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Antonsrkn »

Antonsrkn- I just returned from the NAFHA meeting in IL, and while there I took a picture specifically for you.
You have my undivided attention, lets see it!
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

Antonsrkn wrote: It's October so maybe Fall colors...but only if you're ready to see alot of salamanders on fall leaves haha.
Here you go, Antonsrkn-

Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) sitting very naturally with its head raised, on the brightest leaf around... because they can always be found just like this...

Image

Seriously, I was chuckling to myself while I was taking this picture, thinking about the comment you made. :mrgreen:

-Don
http://www.RainforestDon.com
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Owen
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Owen »

Left coast version:

Image
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Antonsrkn »

Hahaha Nice! I actually do like those types of photos and both of those are awesome!, and I have plenty of my own too! But admittedly the salamander posing on bright fall leaves is a cliche shot that we see very often and is completely unnatural. The comment about the only having the fall color theme if chris was ready for sals on bright leaves was poking fun at Chris because in another thread he had expressed that those shots look artificial. But hey I think they're pretty!

Haha Don, nice choice of yellow leaves for some reason that shot brings back memories...Oh wait whats this here??...
Image
Also from snake road from a year or 2 back, lol I doubt we are the only 2 herpers to think that those colors would look good together. Maybe the next theme should be "Marbled salamanders on yellow leaves". I have to say that your shot still looks more natural than mine!
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krismunk
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by krismunk »

A couple of ideas:

Breaking the rules: I am so unaccomplished at the art of wildlife photography that I don't even know the basic rules. I do, however, know that some exist. It might be interesting and inspiring to see some images that work in spite of, or perhaps even, because they break the rules - by placing the subject dead center, blurring diagnostic features, having a "busy" background, harsh lighting - whatever...
If you could add a couple of words on subjects such as what is "wrong" why you think this makes the picture better, how you came up with the idea (if the "error" is on purpose) or the like it might get even more interesting.

Reflections: be it in a surface of water, the eyes of the subject, rearview mirror, reflections of light in shiny skin or something more creative. Reflections are an integral part of photography, let's see how you can put them to use photographing herps. Perhaps a silly idea, but...

Natural light: Simple, really ;)
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Owen
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Owen »

krismunk wrote:A couple of ideas:

Reflections: be it in a surface of water, the eyes of the subject, rearview mirror, reflections of light in shiny skin or something more creative. Reflections are an integral part of photography, let's see how you can put them to use photographing herps.
I've got a few reflection ones like this. It was purely intentional :mrgreen:

Image
AsydaBass
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Re: Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by AsydaBass »

With winter on its way to many of you Northerners, the herping is starting to settle down. Here's an easy essay for the winter season. I've been doing some theme posts like this on another site recently:

What's in a name?- Post pictures of herps living up to their namesake, this can include behavioral observations or morphological, etc... Fence lizard sitting on a fence, box turtle being a box, Puffing snake puffing, you see where I'm going with this. Super easy, good for winter.

-Don
www.RainforestDon.com
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chrish
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Re: UPDATED* Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by chrish »

Looking at this photo Schmike posted on the main forum....

Image

made me think about a photo essay showing how many herps have to deal with compromised (polluted, altered, etc) habitats. I would be interesting to have a photo essay showing herps in "less than pristine" habitat.
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Antonsrkn
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Re: UPDATED* Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by Antonsrkn »

I would be interesting to have a photo essay showing herps in "less than pristine" habitat.
I like the idea, its the opposite of the typical shot that many of us try to get where we make it seem like the photo was taken in a pristine wilderness even if the herp was found in a junkyard. I don't know how many shots I have that would fit but I would love to see other peoples. As long as it doesn't turn into a heap of photos of snakes roadcruised on asphalt, from a photographic/aesthetic standpoint I typically (not always) find those photos booooring and I'm sure many other folks do too.
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chrish
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Re: UPDATED* Idea Bank- Photo essays, monthly themes, etc...

Post by chrish »

Antonsrkn wrote:I like the idea, its the opposite of the typical shot that many of us try to get where we make it seem like the photo was taken in a pristine wilderness even if the herp was found in a junkyard. I don't know how many shots I have that would fit but I would love to see other peoples. As long as it doesn't turn into a heap of photos of snakes roadcruised on asphalt...
Yeah, it might be a tough one since most of use strategically move trash or crop trash out of the photo. And I agree about the herps on asphalt photos, although if you look at my contributions to the database you will see I am as guilty as anyone of posting them. :oops:
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