When I visited the Damaraland region of Namibia earlier this year, I found and photographed a few Namib Rock Agamas. This colorful lizard hung out on and between some of the large boulders that decorated the landscape.
A male Namibian rock agama splays out against the warm rock, Twyfelfontein, Namibia.
While there were likely other species of lizards in the area, these lizards could be seen out in the open and were easily spotted due to their striking color against the gray rock. Unfortunately they were somewhat skittish and didn’t let me get close enough for more of a macro treatment.
When photographing small ground creatures, it is important to bring the lens as close to eye level as possible. Sometimes this means sacrificing personal cleanliness in order to get the shot.
A male Namibian rock agama splays out against the warm rock, Twyfelfontein, Namibia.
While the big game is Africa’s major wildlife draw, it is important not to forget the little guys. Sometimes the smaller critters can have an even more interesting story to tell than the big guys.
On a trip to Mexico at the beginning of the year, I was lucky to find a large, male common iguana and set about photographing it. My favorite portrait position was when it began to climb the trunk of a smooth tree. It walked vertically up the tree with ease, employing the use of its long toes claws.
The common iguana’s features are striking, from scaled multicolored skin to small horns and spikes
I also managed to get some interesting poses from the ground, where it was patrolling its territory. Here you can see the iguana’s large dewlap, a flap of skin hanging from its neck used to regulate body temperature.
A common iguana eats leaves from a plant growing along the ground, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
As the male had spines of an extraordinary orange color, I wanted to get a ground portrait that showed them off. I used a shallow focus an emphasize the head, while you still see a hint of the orange spines in the background.
The common iguana’s feet help it cling to a vertical tree trunk, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Probably the most notable feature however was the large feet of the iguana. It was fascinating to watch it grip smooth surfaces and navigate them so easily.
Using a long lens, I made sure to keep my distance, both so as not to disturb the lizard, and so that I felt safe! The last thing I wanted was to have to treat a nasty lizard bite. As usual, please click the images for larger, more detailed versions.
It’s long been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. That has never been more true than with wildlife photography. Capturing the subject’s eye helps the viewer connect with the animal, and brings a kind of depth to the photograph. Books such as Frans Lanting’s fantastic Eye To Eye are dedicated to this connection between the viewer and the subject. Achieving this kind of connection with your subject is something to keep in mind when out in the field photographing.
The photo above features a western fence lizard – very common in local open space preserves and urban green space. Recently I was out walking with my wife, and I was carrying (as I often do) my 100 – 400mm zoom lens. We came across this lizard, and given that the birds were not very active this time of day, I wanted to capture at least something fun with my camera. The lizard was only about 5 inches long, tip to tail. I’ve seen about a million straight shots of lizards from above, and knew I could easily fire off a few of my own – boring! That angle shows me nothing about the lizard – it might as well be a rubber toy. I wanted to get a sense for what the lizard might be thinking as he sat out in the hot sun. In order to do that, I had to get down to eye level.
Although the ground was covered in thick dust, I proceeded to get down on my belly, feet behind me (sometimes one has to sacrifice for one’s art!). I put my camera right onto the ground, to get as low as possible. Starting out at a distance with which the lizard seemed comfortable, I slowly crawled forward, taking pictures along the way. Once I got closer than the lens’s minimum focusing distance, I knew that was as large as I could make the lizard in the frame. I usually carry a set of Kenko extension tubes with me, but this time I didn’t have them, so that was as close as I was getting. The lizard kept me in his view the entire time, turning his head back and forth. After shooting for a while, I realized this lizard wasn’t planning on going anywhere soon. So I slowly backed away so as not to disturb him, and went on my way.
By getting eye level to a creature we don’t normally see that way, I was able to create a photo that does more than just document. There is a subtle connection made between the subject and the audience, which when achieved, can go a long way toward the success of a photograph.
