Snake Photo Shoots

Got a question for you snake people out there. How do you keep your snakes still for a photo shoot? Don't have too much of a problem with the bigger snakes (boas) but the corns are driving me crazy.

One trick I use is to take an appropriately sized opaque container. For hatchlings and such I often use a water bowl, like one made by Van Ness. Larger snakes require a larger bowl. The bowl should be about the size of a hide box or so, you don't want too much room in it.
Put the snake under the bowl and wait a couple of minutes, then slowly lift the bowl off. The snake should have calmed down a bit and will likely sit still for 20 seconds or so just waiting to see what will happen. Some snakes may require a longer time under the bowl.

To get a few extra seconds of the snake in the frame, I take the picture with one hand while slowly moving my other hand in the path of the snake without getting into the picture. This normally at least causes a pause in the movement, if not turning the snake around. A quick movement or getting too close may cause the snake to try to escape, so move slow.

This method normally works for 90% of my hatchlings every year. There's always those few that are just high strung and can't calm down. For those I just settle on either having my hand in the shot or taking a picture of it in the shoebox, which I prefer not to do.

Thanks Clay. I'll try the bowl trick in the morning.

Worked like a charm. Thanks again

If the corns are small enough, I have a friend cup their hands over the snake and release their hands right beofre the flash goes and get a good picture that way. The best way is too take just abunch of normal shots of the snake and you should get a few good ones.

Usually the best pics using the above technique are obtained after a couple of seconds, when the snake first becomes aware that he is in the open and starts looking for which way he's going to go. He'll have an "alert" look and the toungue will probably be going a mile a minute. If you also use the technique of distracting him with your hand, you can get some good poses for a second or two when the hand first captures his attention.

Some snakes will just immediately dash as soon as you lift the cover, though. I've found that if you just keep gently working with them, over and over, they will tend to sit a little longer after a while.

As always, this technique calls for caution when working with venomous snakes, due to the close proximity with the snake and the fact that you are concentrating on something other than handling the snake. It is best to have two people working when shooting venomous, one takes the photos, the other handles the snakes.