Snakes of Woodland Park

[mowse]

It has been quite a while since i've posted. Blame it on the purchase of a 500mm lens! Now that my back and shoulders are worn out from lugging all of that weight, i've finally gotten back to doing some macro work. Here are a few shots from my recent trip to Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle. The lighting in this snake exhibit is very dim and warm. I used a monopod, as tripods are somewhat frowned upon. Morning caffiene probably afforded me a steadier hand.


Black-Tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus m. molossus)
20D @ ISO 800, 100mm f/2.8 @ f5.6, 1/50


King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
20D @ ISO 800, 100mm f/2.8 @ f5.6, 1/30


Aruba Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor)
20D @ ISO 800, 100mm f/2.8 @ f4.5, 1/20

I believe that a mere 300 of the Aruba Island rattlers exist in the wild, making it one of the rarest rattlesnakes in the world. I feel privileged to have seen one, even if captive.

As i purchased the new monopod and head on the way to the zoo, i'll share my experience with this new gear. The Manfrotto 694 magfiber monopod claims to support 11 lbs. I mated it with a Manrotto 3229 swivel-tilt head, claiming to support 6 lbs. The combination was wonderfully light, and simple to operate. Though the movements of the swivel-tilt head are quite limited, i did not feel overly constrained while composing shots. The combination felt very rigid and stable. First impressions: i am very please with this configuration, especially when using it in cramped situations. After more usage, i'll write up a more extensive review article.

Hope everyone has been well, and enjoyed the holidays!

Regards,
-jamie

[Ken Ramos]

These are some really nice photographs mowse, especially the second one. The cobra looks as though its a king. I too have a Manfroto mono pod, a 680B with a 3030 head. Have had it for sometime now and really like it and the Manfrtoto tripod that I also purchased before.

[beetleman]

Great shots Jamie. The Aruba Island Rattlesnake does not look too happy. Probably knows about the rest of it`s family on the island rapidly getting killed.

[Mike B in OKlahoma]

A good snake shot or two is always a welcome pick-me-up in late afternoon! :-)

I agree, the 3229 is "the head" to use on a monopod.