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American Alligator
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American Alligator

by David Buck

Gallery: WildlifePosted August 19, 201078 views7 comments
You don't realize how powerful an Alligator is until a 11 foot one is only 5 feet away. You can see the power in its jaws. I would not want to mess with one.

Canon 30D 24-105 f/5 L IS @ 45mm, ISO 200 f/8 @ 1/320 sec.

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on August 20, 2010 at 7:51 AM
Good DOF from eye to snout, great closeup David..Looks menacing enough alright.
Your shooting down at em' from a boat? You must have been very close at 45mm.
Too close for comfort to be sure :wink:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Harshad Barve on August 20, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Too close for comfort to be sure but excellent image
Registered on July 25, 2010, 39 Posts, 210 Comments
Comment posted by David Buck on August 20, 2010 at 10:30 AM
We were in a river boat in Honey Island Swamp in Louisiana. It was nerve racking seeing her get closer and closer through the view finder.
Registered on October 31, 2007, 62 Posts, 97 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on August 20, 2010 at 7:57 PM
This looks imposing! I like the crispness on the eye. Detail behind the eye and on the water looks good as well, so I am thinking you might have focused more forward to get dof to include the somewhat soft teeth and end of snout. The "in your face" composition works well.
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 21, 2010 at 1:11 PM
Very cool David and yes too close for comfort! Would have been even more powerful with the jaw a bit open though. Lon has a good point about the DOF, but we all know such things are easy to say afterwards and very difficult to do in the heat of the moment. Thank for sharing this eye-catching image. :toast:
Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments
Comment posted by David Buck on August 21, 2010 at 6:20 PM
I'll be going back out on Tuesday to find her. I'm going to work on the mouth open photo. If you don't hear from me it may be because I got the shot but am not around to post it :wink:
Registered on October 31, 2007, 62 Posts, 97 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on August 21, 2010 at 7:38 PM
:eek:

Good luck!!!!
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments