Peacock frog
I waited a long time for this shot. I wasnt going to be happy unless he sat towards the bottom of the branch to give me that perfect reflection. This photo is a...
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I waited a long time for this shot. I wasnt going to be happy unless he sat towards the bottom of the branch to give me that perfect reflection. This photo is a personal favourite of mine.
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Jul, 2015Views
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Awards
Action Award
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Editor's Choice
Featured
Contest Finalist in Everything Nature Photo Contest
Member Selection Award
Featured
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 16 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Playing With Reflections Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
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KSP87
July 06, 2015
Totally Agree with you SharpM, It worth the wait. We didnt try and force him so we just waited until he felt comfortable moving positions. I think the backdrop gives the reflection pool that bit extra
Platinum
chrismercerimages
July 10, 2015
WOW!! What an Awesome Capture. I love the way that you captured the reflection of the frog and forked tree branch.
KSP87
July 11, 2015
Thank you! had to wait for the right moment to compose the shot to get the reflection of him in. Worth the wait though
derekburrows
October 12, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
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Bynack
October 21, 2015
Wow, if I'd taken that I'd be content to never photo up the camera again, well done for having the patience
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took the photo whilst out with some friend during a Macro day. Its a little private section based in Liverpool, UK to where the owners run a breeding program for exotic animals. I was grateful enough to be able to photograph some of these over the course of a long day with the animals.Time
This was taken early morning about 9 o clock. This little guy had just woken up and was eager to have a play around. I took some shots of him hopping around and playing in the water there but i had to wait for him to settle down to be able to take this.Lighting
Lighting was very important on this. I used a Sigma 105mm Macro lens to take this shot so i was able to get pin sharp detail on the subject with a F stop of 14. My ISO was set to 200 to just slightly bring out some highlights but not over expose them and my exposure was set to 1/160. I had a flash trigger sync to an above light and had a 2nd light to the left of me about 1.5 meters away set to fire at the same time to achieve perfect exposure. I recommend working with your histogram when going for this style of shot to get a nice balance.Equipment
Camara used to take the shot was a Nikon D750 Lens was a Sigma 105mm Macro to achieve the sharpness. Hand held so no tripod needed 1 overhead Light and one light offset to the left, both with soft boxes on and synced to the flash triggerInspiration
Ive always had a soft spot for nature and animals, it goes hand in hand with my love for photography. When i heard about the chance to photography exotic animals i was over the moon with excitement. I started early in the morning around 9am and this little guy was one of the first animals i was able to photograph. I had to wait a short while for him to calm down and for him to stop leaping all over the place. Once he calmed down he then settle on the branch on the water. I took a few shots but notice the stillness of the water , took a few steps back and seen this amazing reflection, i knew at that point that there was my shot.Editing
Only post processing i did was tone a few highlights down and add a minor touch of clarity just to bring out some more detail. Since i work closely with my histogram i didn't have to correct many elements in my photo. I always prefer to get the shot right in the camera than coming away with a shot i know needs work.In my camera bag
I pack my bag depending on what style i am going after. My general bag with consist of my Tamron 150-600 and my Sigma 105mm. On the off chance i may take my 70-200 with me just in case. If i am doing some traveling i will then use my 50mm and take my 70-200 out with me. I always have my monopod attached to my bag. The most vital part of my equipment is my Coffee mug though! No matter the time of day or location....i always pack that!Feedback
3 main factors come into play when taking this style of shot: 1. Patience - you have to pick your shot carefully and dont be scared to try and use different angles. I only managed to achieve this shot by changes levels and looking outside of the picture. Shooting these type of animals can be tricky but just wait for them to settle down and dont make any sudden movements to bring your subject out of its comfort zone. 2. Lighting - Lighting plays a huge part in getting this photo. You want to be shooting in full manual for this, using a low F stop of around 11-14 to achieve detail. Using a flash trigger you want to be in sync with the equipment. This shot was lit by an overhead light and one offset to the left. You can move your offset light as you see fit to achieve a different style of shot. Using a shutter of 1/160 and working closely with my histogram i was able to achieve perfect exposure. You can adjust your iso as you see fit depending on the subject though so don't hesitate to change it by a stop or 2. 3. Focus - Do not let the camera decide where to focus! Pin sharp on this style of shot is vital. Set your camera to single point focus in its sweet spot and focus on those eyes! you dont have to worry about the other elements in the photo, they will naturally be in focus with using a low F stop.
