Seeking ideas on my photography...

Hi guys,

I'd like to get some close-up shots of my snakes that don't have my hands there holding them, basically I want to put the snakes down so I'm free to move around them. Ches is no problem, Connor however is a fidget and not too huge, and I daren't put him down cos he'll be off! Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can keep him safely in one place with no hands, but without having the obstruction of glass or walls in the way?

Just another point... I'm really, really paranoid about my babies coming in to contact with "nasty stuff." How safe is it to put them down on things? Can they pick up germs or anything like that? :shrugs:

Are you wanting to go for a natural setting or do you just want to get full body shots? Putting your snake in a plastic bin for pictures gives them a confined space that you can some what control. The kritter keepers are kind of nice because you can put the lids on, open the small opening, and take pictures from there. It depends on how far your camera can zoom in though.
I've taken these pictures with that method:






In this case you can actually see the lid

For outdoors a small branch or wood ledge can work well.



Some of my hatchlings would be impossible to get good outdoor shots of. I have a reallly small fidgety baby that goes crazy any time I handle her. In that case she will only get the plastic bin shots. The outdoor shots need to be reserved for when she's gained some weight and confidence.

I hope that helped a bit.

I had some heavy cardboard that I put on my coffee table that gave me three walls, which I then draped with material. It seemed to call my big guy down, but I wouldn't have been able to get any shots this time of the little girl... had to have a second set of hands to help keep track of her. The first time she was the perfect model, this time she gave Kieran a run for his money for activity.

Apparently she was more interested in finding some food than sitting still for pictures

If you the snakes you are trying to photograph are not shy eaters, you can use feeding time to get some nice pictures. I have to do that with a few of ours because they are just so squirmy.

Tim usually takes the outdoor pics, so I can't offer advice there, but I've also used the 3-sided box method with the cloth draped over it and an extra hand or two to keep track of the snake or snakes while I am taking the pictures.

Jenn