03 May 2011

Hoggorm - Common adder

English text below

I dag traff jeg en hoggorm i Lillomarka. Den slanget seg på vissent gras da jeg kom over den, og så egentlig litt fårete ut. Som om den tenkte "ops, der ble jeg ferska", eller noe slikt. Jeg begynte forsiktig med teleobjektiv, gikk deretter over til en 120mm makro, og endte opp med vidvinkel. Da den til slutt fikk nok av all oppmerksomheten freste den. Da takket jeg pent for samarbeidet og trakk meg et par meter unna. Den fulgte meg med øynene et halvt minutt eller så, og så snudde den og krøp stille ned blant noen steiner. Fabelaktig opplevelse.

Pentax 645D, FA 120mm f/4 macro, AF160-FC ring flash
1/90s, f/16, ISO 400

Today I met a Common adder in the local forest. It was basking on a sunlit patch of last year's grass, and looked positively sheepish. As if it was caught doing something it shouldn't. I approached it gradually, starting with a tele lens before changing to a 120mm macro and then a 35mm wide angle. When the snake got fed up with the attention it hissed loudly. I mouthed a thanks for the cooperation and withdrew a couple of meters. It kept its eyes on me while I moved, and for half a minute after my retreat. Then it turned and slid down between some rocks. An amazing encounter.

2 comments:

ann sanfedele said...

Nice story, nice pic!
ann

Frank M. said...

Quite a patient adder, considering that you had time to switch lens twice during your approach!