I found this tiny garter snake the other day when I was looking for salamanders. Couldn’t have been more than 8 inches long and thinner than a pencil. I used my macro lens without flash, so I had to open up the aperture to get enough light, making for a very narrow depth of field. I love the way you can see that thin line of focus as it slices through the image from the snake’s body to the left of its eye, then through the eye and onto the right side of the body and then up onto that stick just to the right of the snake. No more than a quarter of an inch of focus on a single plane running from the lower left to upper right. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/4.2 at 1/50th of a second.
Like Donna, I just don’t understand the name of this creature. “Garter Snake”? Like, who’s wearing this thing on their legs? Or throwing it around at a wedding? No one. I would name this creature much simpler, like “Really Mean Worm” or “Creepy Living Pencil” or something.
I am of the group that assumes all snakes will kill me. So you have captured the perfectly creepy, in & out of focus, creature for Halloween Week! Your backyard is getting scarier!
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I found this tiny garter snake the other day when I was looking for salamanders. Couldn’t have been more than 8 inches long and thinner than a pencil. I used my macro lens without flash, so I had to open up the aperture to get enough light, making for a very narrow depth of field. I love the way you can see that thin line of focus as it slices through the image from the snake’s body to the left of its eye, then through the eye and onto the right side of the body and then up onto that stick just to the right of the snake. No more than a quarter of an inch of focus on a single plane running from the lower left to upper right. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/4.2 at 1/50th of a second.
When I was little I thought people were saying “garden” snake.
Me too.
NICE. The good, ol’ 105 mm macro lens. Great work Sean.
Thanks Tommy B. Hope all is well.
Doing well Sean. Digging your pics from the backyard. Good stuff. Hope you and yours are doing well brother. -T
Like Donna, I just don’t understand the name of this creature. “Garter Snake”? Like, who’s wearing this thing on their legs? Or throwing it around at a wedding? No one. I would name this creature much simpler, like “Really Mean Worm” or “Creepy Living Pencil” or something.
I am of the group that assumes all snakes will kill me. So you have captured the perfectly creepy, in & out of focus, creature for Halloween Week! Your backyard is getting scarier!
I dig the bokeh in this photo!
That’s the macro lens. Just a sliver in-focus at the wider apertures.
great pic. ) did this snake come into you camera trap. )
Hey Michael, no, I was holding the camera for this one.
Just glad he wasn’t eating a frog!