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| Copyrghted by Michael Kern and the Gardends of Eden - All Rights Reserved |
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6 Flash through glass. Many times you'll have to shoot your subject through the walls of a glass cage. To get a crisp image that's free of reflective glare, use an off-camera flash placed either above, to the side, or at an angle to the front pane. Never flash straight onto the glass, unless you can position your lens right on the glass using a rubber lenshood.
7 Use a macro flash. Ring and macro flashes bring out the subject's features without an overpowering blast of light. Nikon's R1C1 Speedlight wireless system is particularly flexible: You can place multiple units on the top, sides, and even inside the cage with no tangle of wires.
8 Get acquainted. Don't expect to step up and take an amazing picture of an animal right away. Getting to know your subject's traits and habits improves your chances of nailing that special shot.
9 Use natural techniques. Many reptiles won't stay still for a picture. One good trick is to cover them up for a few minutes with a towel or a bowl: The darker and tighter the fit, the more comfortable they will get. Uncover them and then shoot the photo -- you'll have only a few seconds of calm before they flee again, so be sure to preset your focus and exposure. Do not put these creatures in the freezer to slow them down -- it's dangerous as well as cruel.
10 Be safe. Employ an experienced handler to set up and monitor the animal so that you can focus on taking the picture. And for your own safety and that of the animals, never handle a reptile or amphibian in the wild unless you are an experienced herpetologist.
A leading reptile and amphibian photographer, Michael D. Kern is COO of the International Reptile Conservation Foundation.
Slithery sites to see
• www.thegardensofeden.org: Michael Kern's website has many more of his wildlife photographs.
• www.ircf.org: The International Reptile Conservation Foundation specializes in protecting reptiles and the ecosystems they live in.
• www.kingsnake.com: The center of the online world for all things reptilian, it hosts a forum on reptile photography and is a good place to find reptile stores and clubs in your area.
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