Crocodile
I managed to find two more images to workup… but only just. The shooting conditions on the day were really difficult. A super bright sun and cloudless sky created big problems in holding the highlights on both the croc & the sea grasses. Plus the bottom was very muddy (it’s a swamp after all) & if the croc or I disturbed it lots of particles clouded up the water. Oh & did I mention, I was scared which never makes it easy to concentrate :-)
Anyway, here’s the two I’ve worked up…
I’m guessing that like many photographers, I’m revisiting my back catalogue during these long Covid enforced lay-offs from shooting new subjects. I usually only work up two images (at the most) from any shoot, so I still have quite a bit of choice left. I’ve just moved on to looking through the shots I took of the crocodile in the mangrove swamps of Cuba in August 2019.
As I look through the images I’m taken straight back there. It was an amazing trip because before boarding the liveaboard boat for a weeks diving in the Gardens of Queen marine sanctuary we spent three days in the Cuban capital, Havana. If you ever get the chance to go to Havana please take it up, it’s a photographers dream - there’s literally an image on every street corner.
Anyway, back to the croc… it took us two days to find a suitable subject; not too big, not too small & not too aggressive. This male was perfect and he was happy to model for me for over an hour. I was terrified, I’ll admit that. Looking at the shots I can still remember just how much I had to keep talking to myself to stay calm.
If you’d like to see a video of the shoot you can do that here - https://youtu.be/u7jhdAs56Ik
Let’s see if I can find a couple more shots to work up to make it all worthwhile… I’m hopeful :-)
Cuban Crocodile
My saltwater crocodile has made the shortlist - here’s a slideshow of all the shortlisted entries in my category.
I appeared in the Daily Mail today :-) I was shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards which had 193,000 entries worldwide, so pretty pleased about that.
I’ve had 2 images shortlisted in the British Photography Awards The overall winners will be picked by a team of judges in January but there’s also a Peoples Award - I’d be really grateful if you voted for me :-)
Diving Gannets here - https://www.britishphotographyawards.org/2020-Shortlist#Birdlife
Saltwater Crocodile here - https://www.britishphotographyawards.org/2020-Shortlist#Water-life
