He originally caught the snake by the head but put it down to adjust his grip, that was a mistake (said the snake) just before the snake bit him. He dropped the...
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He originally caught the snake by the head but put it down to adjust his grip, that was a mistake (said the snake) just before the snake bit him. He dropped the snake jumped up out of the water onto a tree stump and didn't go back in to the water for over an hour, and even then he stayed close to the waters edge with one foot on dry land. There's much to be said about lessons learned.
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Awards
Contender in the Photography Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Contest Finalist in Wildlife Wanderlust Photo Contest
People's Choice in snakes Photo Challenge
Curator's Selection
Top Shot Award 21
Spring 21 Award
Winner in Great blue heron with its catch only!!! Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Best storytelling image Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Genius
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
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BrilliantSun
September 05, 2022
The snake won... right after I took this shot, it delivered a decisive bite and the Heron dropped him and backed away.
kirstinlwinston
August 25, 2020
This is an epic shot in my opinion. Great catch..... for you, not so much for the bird. Thanks for sharing!
BrilliantSun
September 10, 2020
thanks... the Heron soon found out just how dangerous it would be.. luckily he survived this encounter and the snake was not venomous.
BrilliantSun
October 30, 2020
Thanks. This is a crop of a larger image since I was not as close as I had liked, even though I was shooting with a 500mm prime on a cropped sensor body. The snake actually survived and the Heron ended up with the short end of the stick. A few frames after this one the snake landed a strike and the Heron quickly dropped him, reared up his wings and jumped up onto a stump where he remained for over an hour.
Pjerry
January 21, 2021
You have given 2020 a positive swing that is really (nice) positive, a contribution to the Year 2020 Collection. As always, the competition will be tough, which, as an added consequence, makes the victory taste very sweet. Good luck.
bclumberjack
January 21, 2021
Great shot. I too saw a heron catch a snake and I took some photos also. The snake did put up a good fight but didnt win. In the end the heron ate it
BrilliantSun
August 12, 2022
Thanks. This is part of a series of shots I took from the moment he first grabbed the snake until the moment the snake bit him and he jumped out of the water onto a stump. They were the only shots taken that day (absolutley nothing else around, not even another camera) and the best 10 minutes of wildlife shooting ever!
annetteflottwell
August 07, 2023
What a fantastic observation. A story to tell to your grandchildren !!
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Huntley Meadows Park in the Habla Valley area of Fairfax County, Virginia. The park features a visitor center, a beaver-created wetland with boardwalk, wildlife observation platforms, and an interpretative trail system. The park is home to abundant wildlife and is known for attracting many birds, amphibians, and plants that are considered less common in the region. Secondary-growth forest, sprinkled with several small, native-grass and wildflower meadows surround much of the wetland habitat.Time
It was a warm sunny Sunday afternoon around 3:30PMLighting
At 3PM in August the Sun was directly overheard in a cloudless sky. At this time of day, unless you have some cloud cover to provided some diffusion, the lighting is going to be harsh unless you are in the shade. I normally get out early but on this day I was delayed waiting for a package that never came. Know that the lighting would be harsh, I chose to ensure that the Sun was with behind me or over my left shoulder. I shot in manual mode, auto-ISO, increased my shutter speed to 1000FPS and used a small aperture of F11 to minimize the amount light captured by the camera to reduce the chances that lighter areas would be blown out. Lastly I brought down the highlights in post.Equipment
This image was captured handheld using a Nikon D500 body and the Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-EDInspiration
I visited the park on a last minute decision on a very sunny and warm Sunday afternoon in August 2020 at 3:15PM. As I ventured into the sanctuary, I noticed very few people about and hardly any wildlife in sight. I had determined that while I probably was not going to take many photos if at all, at least I could get some exercise walking the loop around the park before returning home. As I made my way to around the boardwalk I noticed a lone Blue Heron standing in the water and decided to wait to a few minutes see if he would catch a fish so that I would at least have something to take home with me.Editing
Post-processing for this image was very minimal. I typically use only Lightroom to process and adjust my wildlife images as was the case on this photo. The actual shot was much further away, but I decided to crop it in order to create more drama.In my camera bag
For wildlife, I will typically use a Nikon d500 paired with a long lens as in this case the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens. during the summer months, I may also carry a macro lens, either the smaller and more portable Tokina atx-i 100mm F/2.8 FF or the Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED both are great lens to shoot with, each has it's share of pro's and con's, both are tack sharp with the Tokina being lighter and lest costly.Feedback
For wildlife photos, I prefer the early mornings when everything is active. You'll have much better lighting and a larger variety of subjects to shoot, particularly song birds. The greatest advice I can offer for capturing a similar image is being patient and always ready to shoot.