Photos – Skins

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As part of my “staycation” last week (read: I couldn’t afford a real vacation after moving), I went to Grand Rapids and visited John Ball Park Zoo.

After looking over some of my shots of the various reptiles, I decided to do something a bit different with the final photos.

I cropped the photos in close and focused on the patterns and textures of their skin. Here’s the first with more after the break.

This was a chameleon. Or something. I forgot to make note of some of the critters.

EXIF

Body: Canon Rebel T2i
Lens: Canon 55-250mm IS f3.5/5.6
Exposure Time    1/160 sec
F-Number    F5
ISO Speed Ratings    3200
Exposure Bias Value    -1 EV
Focal Length    84.0 mm

This was shot inside, with low lighting, and through glass. Hence the high ISO. Oh well. I boosted the colors a touch in Photoshop, but that is pretty close to what they were.

This hide of a Komodo Dragon. I don’t know what this uh, spot, is on the Dragon, but it was near its neck. Apparently, John Ball Park Zoo houses the only Komodo Dragon in Michigan. Neat. I may do another crop of the original, with the eye as the focus. This shot was taken outside, and it was a BRIGHT day. I need lens filters. Seriously.

Another outdoor shot, of an Alligator. Or a Crocodile. I can’t remember which. This was the first photo I shot at the Zoo.

Another grainy indoor shot, and this one is of the reticulated python. Graininess aside, I liked the colors and the overlapping of the scales.

I have more shots from the Zoo I’ll get up this week. I liked this idea for a photo ‘exhibit’ and I may try for similar shots the next time I’m at a Zoo. I wasn’t shooting these photos with this blog post in mind, so I wasn’t trying to get great shots of the skins at the time. I like the idea of cropping in on different details of animals though.