Two memorable moments
I have a couple of favourite photographs. Both taken with a 3 megapixel Sony
digital camera about eight years ago. Thought I would write a little about
each. The first is of a spider that I managed to photograph in Sungei Buloh
Wetland Reserve in Singapore back in 2000. It was hot and humid. I was there
with some colleagues who were photographing some of the flora and fauna for
a CD-ROM on mangrove environments.
I decided to see how close I could get to this particular spider. I made my
way into the undergrowth and crouched down upon the wet damp leaves. I held
the camera in both hands and using a simple macro setting eased the lens
closer to the spider until it seemed to be in focus. I took the photograph.
It is shown below. The spider is a little out of focus. She was busily
repairing the web. [I think the spider is female as it lacks tarsal bulbs on
its pedipalps]. She seems to have lost one of her legs.
The other photograph was also taken in a mangrove. This time in Indonesia.
My wife and I had taken a holiday in Bintan to get away from Singapore.
While we were there we were given an escorted boat ride into a nearby
mangrove and I took a number of photographs with the same Sony camera. While
we floated along we came across a part of the mangroves where a large number
of mangrove snakes were lying on the branches above and alongside the
waterway. This species of snake is widespread and is also referred to as a
cat snake.
I asked our guide if we could stop so that I could take a photograph. The
little boat paused. I grabbed my camera, gently stood up and pointed the
camera towards the snake. The boat was swaying to and fro a little. I
grabbed a branch with one hand and held the camera with the other. The
branch I held is in the left of the photograph. As I grabbed the branch and
took that photograph the snake turned to look directly at me. I quickly sat
down and the guide backed the little boat out of there. He was worried that
I might be bitten or the snake may drop into the boat.
The image is blurred. I did not have the time to focus. Still like the
photograph though. I was close. Probably too close. I have been back to
those mangroves, with my wife Shao Ping and my nephew Adrian.
http://blog.larkin.net.au/2008/12/14/two-memorable-moments/
http://blog.larkin.net.au/2008/12/01/celebrations-for-sungei-buloh/
http://www.larkin.net.au/bintan_feb_2001/index.html
http://www.larkin.net.au/bintan_jan_2002/index.html
