Dangerous photo shots?

Dusty wrote in post #5419891
Shot from a comfortable distance, saved myself $50-$100 on handler's fee :

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LOL

Dusty wrote in post #5419891
Shot from a comfortable distance, saved myself $50-$100 on handler's fee :

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Those are some bad a$$ gators. Yall be careful now ya hear!

shooting in/near the mosh pit at a hardcore gig can be hazardous...after the first hit to the chest i learned very quickly not to keep my eye glued to the viewfinder for very long.

Sure kona77 there are gators all over south paris lost a cat to one just the other day! haha! Took that in florida last week with my 70-200.

kona77 wrote in post #5354540
Well, I've pushed the envelope a few times.

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I used to live on that base. And work on those planes... =) Awesome shots, what squadron is that and from when, may I ask?

I tried taking a picture of my wife in the bath once.

The good news is, my prosthetic head has not rejected my body yet.

BrinNutz wrote in post #5426381
I used to live on that base. And work on those planes... =) Awesome shots, what squadron is that and from when, may I ask?

Those were taken at the Portland Jetport in Portland, Maine after a static airshow. I don't think you lived on this base unless it was in the parking garage.

Those look very similar tomorrow to shots of the Brunswick Naval Air Station, where I lived/worked on th P-3's. That's why I asked! =)

BrinNutz wrote in post #5427304
Those look very similar tomorrow to shots of the Brunswick Naval Air Station, where I lived/worked on th P-3's. That's why I asked! =)

I can understand that. I have shot at BNAS for the airshow. Great group of guys there, super airboss too.

I encounter Gators every weekend during the warm months and have closely observed their habits and behavior (gets cold enough for them to hibernate 2-3 months). Here's a set of rules I adhere to.

Rule #1, if they're on a flat surface with solid footing, shoot from at least 20 feet and have a solid, planned escape route.
Rule #2, just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. Good rule for shooting other wildlife along the water's edge. They're ambushers and the water gives them a big advantage.
Rule#3, treat each one like it's the first. That mellow one you saw this morning may have already had breakfast.
Rule#4, take breeding season as a huge warning sign. Around here they emerge from hibernation slow and lazy, almost no aggression or appetite. As soon as the water warms up the appetite is activated and in the mature Gators, the hormones start pumping. You can see it in their eyes. Early on the eyes are kind of half open. When the juices start to flow those eyes are WIDE open and they take on a whole different demeanor.
Rule#5, those big Gators . . . they got that big by being efficient hunters and usually rule the swamp/marsh. They also usually exhibit the attitude to go with the title. I find them to be far more aggressive and unpredictable than the smaller population, especially during breeding time.

A couple years back I walked up on a large Gator by accident. I was watching the shrub line for birds along the back of the lake on a road that divides the lake and a marsh. The Gators cross this narrow road to go back and forth. The thickets have small openings where the Gators emerge to walk across. Call it being distracted, call it a lapse of concentration, whatever. The bottom line was that I got careless and when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye I was already around 2 feet from the snout of a 10 footer. I froze and VERY slowly slid one foot back and hen the other and kept moving until I was about 15-20 feet back. The Gator walked forward and went across the road with no signs of aggression. But had it chose to could quickly have latched on and slid back down the bank with me in tow. They don't need to grab flesh, only clothing and once you're in the water all bets are off. I said a lot of prayers of thanks that day.

I like the rush of shooting on the edge just as much as the next person but not carelessly. Gators are not man hunters, but they are opportunists. They're awesome animals and a very important part of the ecosystem they live in.

I hope you have an excellent trip, be safe.

I get run over by dogs periodically....

Dave

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tracknut wrote in post #5430828
I get run over by dogs periodically....

Dave

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ROFL, great shot.

Did you see Johnny Cash play at the prison?

kona77 wrote in post #5433329
ROFL, great shot.

Did you see Johnny Cash play at the prison?

I was spending some time by myself and wasn't able to catch him. I hear it was a pretty decent concert though

Dave

I have hung over the side of a building with someone who I didn't owe money to hanging onto my safety belt. I scratched the ears of a cougar before a Lincoln shoot.
The point? There's a big difference between taking a chance, & taking a calculated risk. I don't do, "Hey, y'all, watch this!"