Wow okay well first off thanks for the compliments everyone! Its pretty rewarding to see all the positive feedback. I've been concentrating on composition and new techniques more lately since I've pretty much hit a wall in regards to upgrading my equipment (because I'm WAY too poor to get anything better).
I've never seen a hognosed snake in the pines. Someday.
that was actually my first hog in the pines . . . the weird thing is that I did nothing different. I was at a place I've been a million times checking the same spots I've checked a million times. They're out there . . . you just have to be lucky enough to be there at the exact moment.
It's a good thing I don't accidently find the snakes that you find on purpose.
If I did, I wouldn't leave the house.
These Pine Barrens are sceery!
Y'know I find the more I understand about snakes the more I enjoy them. between these snakes and the bunch from north jersey in the same time frame, not even one tried to bite me . . . I couldn't have made that claim 10 years ago when I didn't know what I was doing. Their motives are really passive once you get how to read their body language. Of course if you're not into that sort of thing . . . you can at least be confident that if you walk away they won't chase ya.
Bob,
What do you mean by "rough" green?
Jeff nailed that one. Smooth greens are native to the state, only WAY north. if you see a green snake anywhere near the barrens its a rough green.
I notice some of these were taken at night! Scary time to be out there, isn't it?
I imagine its horrifying for normal people. But we wouldn't know anything about that . . .
Bob, what kind of topography was that King snake taken in. Does not look too local.
it was actually just a dirt road in the northern pines. topographically speaking its slightly more rolling than the core is, but its pretty typical for the area. some of the weird horizon effects might be a result of my flash diffuser and weird camera angles I had to use in order to get the snake to pose without staring dead center into the lens. If anyone ever saw the weird stuff I have to do during one of these photo shoots they'd probably put me away. Its like a freaking circus act.
again thanks everybody for all the kind words! If all goes well I'll have more pics to post up soon.
-Bob