The venomous beauty

[Prajwal J Ullal]

ID: Malabar Pit Viper(Juv)

Accidentally spotted this beauty resting/keeping a look out for a catch along the bank of a small water stream. Hardly a foot long beauty was very interesting and had a unique aura to it, unluckily was surrounded by several stray branches and getting a clear frame was very difficult, especially when then are a group of enthusiastic photographers, like me...
Finally managed few frames without any flash.

EXIF:
Canon 550D
Canon 55-250 IS
F/6.3
Shutterspeed 1/80
ISO 400
Handheld, No Flash fired

Location: Amboli, Maharashtra

P.S.: Due to the high enthusiasm I didnt realize that the Eyes were not in the focus range, unfortunately when i encountered it while returning it had already moved into even denser area and was darker, so had to rely on flash, so background turned out more darker.

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

When making frontal images of snakes in daylight, it is a common problem for the DoF to fall short. The only way to work around this is to use a tripod or similar support. What was the focal length here? At 55 mm, it would have been easier, and the frame might still have been appealing. Shall post in a few days some images of a MPV in a similar scenario I encountered last month. Would like to see the images with flash.
Please make sure that you (and others around you, as far as you can advise them) do not clear branches in front of subjects, and move the snakes to a better spot (especially in the case of pit vipers)... These guys move slowly, and carefully choose perches to forage from. Moving them even a few feet or altering the perch can be a life or death difference for the snake. Besides, clicking with intervening vegetation portrays the habitat more accurately. It's better to have an image that looks natural and makes sense, rather than a stunning shot that makes no sense and misinforms the viewer.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice sighting. Agree with Abhishek, showing the subject in its natural surroundings as best as you can (composing in such a way to avoid distractions) is the real test in wildlife photography. Look forward to more from amboli. Thanks for sharing.

[Prajwal J Ullal]

Abhishek, it was taken at 250mm end of the focal length. Though I didnt have a tripod but fixing it in that cumbersome place would have been a huge task as the base was a narrow one, hardly providing base to stand 2 persons and was surrounded with several small plants.
The lighting wasnt ideal as the day we reached it, Amboli had received heavy rains and was majorly overcast.