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Toad 2

Posted by
Eric Fry (Houston, TX, United States) on 7 August 2008 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.

As I was climbing around on some firewood waiting to be split, trying to get a photo of some bug or another, this toad jumped out of a crack in one of the logs. He was sitting perpendicular to me, and I got a few good profiles, but the rest of my wood pile kept me from getting a front view. I reached my hand down to try and get him to turn towards me, but he wouldn't move at all! I finally touched him and turned him to get a face view. He sat there posing for me, sitting on his little toady hands, as I snapped several shots. I took some without flash, but didn't like the results. These were taken with the flash, which really highlighted the gold and orange on his skin, and he didn't seem to mind at all. I was absolutely amazed that a wild creature would sit so well through all of that!

I would have gotten him to sign a model release, but I wasn't sure how many beetles would be an appropriate compensation...I hope he doesn't have some snake for a lawyer!

NIKON COOLPIX P5100 1/60 second F/3.5 ISO 64 60 mm (35mm equiv.)

I'm just getting back into photography after a break of several years . I appreciate your time visiting my photoblog.

Take care,
Eric

dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, United States

hehe -- a wonderfully humorous account for this pic! :) marvelous! and what a proud creature this toad is! the detail in the eyes... the natural dyes are just amazing! what would sight to a toad look like, i wonder? amazing shot! bravo!

7 Aug 2008 5:27am

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

Thanks for the info on how you managed to capture this handsome devil, and do it so well! He's obviously very proud of his looks:-) Great shot again Eric. I'm glad he behaved for you, what a great experience:-))

7 Aug 2008 7:17am

@Linerberry: Thanks, Liner! I'd be proud of my looks, too, if I were only half as handsome as he!

maxine from Rangiora, New Zealand

He looks like he has his nose in the air, very haughty, suffering the flash because he knows what a great shot it will be - how could it fail with SIR TOAD in full color???

7 Aug 2008 7:33am

@maxine: I'm just glad that he deigned to let me take his photo, without being too condescending towards me! LOL

Marie Le Corre from Voiron, France

Impressionnant !

7 Aug 2008 7:53am

Eleftheria! from Athens, Greece

Great!

7 Aug 2008 8:07am

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

Incredible macro shot.

7 Aug 2008 8:46am

shahab from Qazvin, Iran

Great macro!

7 Aug 2008 11:05am

Veronelle from Lens, France

alos beautifull and super work

7 Aug 2008 11:10am

Kylie Greenan from Richmond, Australia

ahhh Eric, I laughed and laughed at your narrative... sitting on his little toady hands and the model release bit, and the snaky lawyer, classic. I think actually he had lens envy, that's why he was just sitting there lookin' at you... thinking "what is he like this guy, he turns me around to show off his big flashy lens, alright my lenses aren't that great but he doesn't have to be so bold about it...oh what's that, now he's taking my portrait... some people!" :o) A great capture, It is so refined for a moment it was a statue. I like his pose, you have done really well with this one!

7 Aug 2008 11:16am

@Kylie Greenan: hehehee...It seemed like he was accustomed to such attention. "What? What? Oh...just another paparazzi...Go ahead, take my photo. I have an hour before I have to meet with Spielberg and Geffen." LOL


Toady has to be the funniest word in the English language! ;)

Rob from Mount Joy, United States

Great capture of your toad friend, Eric. Wonderful!

7 Aug 2008 11:38am

Monique from Netherlands

He made a great model! :)) Beautiful detail on its skin and those eyes...stunning!

7 Aug 2008 1:16pm

Nina from Hamburg, Germany

Simply wonderful!

7 Aug 2008 2:49pm

Kent from Kvänum, Sweden

Very nice portrait. Not so common with frogs as models but they are fine and, above all, slow enough so you have plenty of time

7 Aug 2008 5:34pm

Marion from Nanaimo, BC, Canada

So funny Eric, you gave me a good laugh this morning and boy did I ever need it. Probably about 50 bugs would have been his fee. Great close up of Mr. Froggy.

7 Aug 2008 6:23pm

willow from Chelsea, United States

Eric - his eye is exquisite!!! And he really does seem like he is just tolerating your attentions so that he can further his modeling career. Too funny!

7 Aug 2008 6:53pm

Baz from Teglia, United Kingdom

Great portrait! Amazing details!

7 Aug 2008 10:28pm

Rui from Leiria, Portugal

Fantastic photo! The definition is excelent!! And the description is full of humor!

7 Aug 2008 10:29pm

Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States

Another cool view of your friend. I hate to be the one to tell you - his lawyer is a 'croc'.

8 Aug 2008 4:49am

Earnest from Oklahoma, United States

The photographers at National Geographic have nothing on you Eric.

8 Aug 2008 3:04pm

Francesc B. from région parisienne, France

Another GREAT portrait... Fantastic and vivid colors. A GOOD work. Congratulations.

8 Aug 2008 9:50pm

saeed from ahwaz, Iran

wow! such a great portrait! the angle and POV are excellent and colours are wonderful! very well done my dear friend!
Cheers to you!

9 Aug 2008 8:02am

Magda from Vancouver, Canada

Wow! Fantastic colours!

10 Aug 2008 12:40am

Michael from TX, United States

Wow! Spectacular macro. I love the vivid colors.

10 Aug 2008 1:25am

Les from Lincoln, United States

What an amazing CU! I recently posted a couple of frog shots, but didn't get quite as tight of a shot as you. Fabulous macro.
BTW, thanks for adding me to your blog-watch.

22 Nov 2008 4:17pm

@Les: Thanks, Les! Even today, and I don't know why, I still bust out laughing every time I look at these photos! There's just something hilarious about this face, at least to me...

NIKON COOLPIX P5100
1/60 second
F/3.5
ISO 64
60 mm (35mm equiv.)