Desert Surprise

[Teton Chuck]

I wonder how many of these little guys we walked by as we hiked through the desert. They do a good job of blending in the their substrate.

[Shadowman]

Nice catch.

[pnodrog]

Great camouflage - well seen. Where is the tourist photo with it draped around a neck?

[GBO25]

Is that what they call a prairie rattlesnake?
Certainly is well camouflaged. Well spotted or did you hear it?

[Wavelength]

Great image; Thank God you did not step upon it

[bnnrcn]

Oh, it is poisonous, isn't it

[NorthernFocus]

Yes that's some effective camo. Nicely depicted by this shot. Well done.

[Manfred M]

Another very nice shot, Chuck. Shooting at a focal length of 35mm on a FF camera. No wonder it's coiling into a striking pose. Your definitely were getting close enough to spook it.

[Clactonian]

Thank goodness we only have one venomous snake in the UK and that's pretty rare. Mind you, thanks to you kindly folks out there we now have poisonous spiders, not that I have any intention of photographing them.
This is certainly a brave pic Chuck.

[DougR]

That, as Steve Irwin would say, "Is a beauty!"

[IzzieK]

Another Steve Irwin's comment that grew on me and cannot get out off easily even here in the US! --

CRIKEY!!!!

[mknittle]

Oh, it is poisonous, isn't it

Very much so as in rattle snake!

http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/...attlesnake.php

[Teton Chuck]

I believe this is a Western Rattlesnake. It can reach a length of 5 feet. This rattlesnake is capable of delivering large amounts of potent venom. If encountered it should be left alone. A large percentage of envenomations occur when a snake is handled or abused.

I did not handle or abuse this snake and it did not strike me. I thought it was quite beautiful and when I was finished photographing it I walked away without harming it. I don't see very many rattlesnakes when I'm out and about, so this was special.

[selig1656]

Terrific capture .

[Mike Buckley]

Very nice image!

Manfred mentioned that you used a 35mm lens on a full-frame camera. I assume you heavily cropped the image. Otherwise, you were dangerously close.

I believe this is a Western Rattlesnake.

I agree. A Western rattlesnake is not the same as a Western Diamondback rattlesnake. The pattern on the latter snake displays diamonds that are connected to each other.

[Teton Chuck]

I did crop the image. I was careful to stay out of striking distance as I photographed.

[mugge]

I did crop the image. I was careful to stay out of striking distance as I photographed.

How far of the snake were you. It looks like it was about to strike. CRIKEY!
Cheers Ole