Northern Earless Lizard, (Holbrookia m. maculata). Mescelero Sands, Chaves co., New Mexico. Nikon N-90, 200 mm micro. While lizard watching in the Mescelero Sands one hot summer morning I saw this Earless Lizard begin running across an open dune. About half way across the dune it changed direction and ran up into this grass clump. When I layed down on the sand to take its picture I realized why- The sand was burning hot! After photographing it I picked it up and released it in the shade of a bush on the other side of the dune.

-- Billy Gorum (Herphoto@aol.com), November 10, 1999

Answers

Excellent. Exposure seems perfect. Nice blown away background - if any additional parts of the lizard or baranches were in focus, you'd have a distracting background. The tip of the tail wasn't in the frame, but it hardly matters because the tail is fading out of focus. Good work.

-- Rod Sorensen (sorenser@mfldclin.edu), November 10, 1999.

Good photo and good story! What was the film?

-- John Wall (jwall@earthjustice.org), November 10, 1999.

Very nice .. very Interesting. Though would love to remove the clutter of the dried grass .. which compete for attention.

Wonder how U got so close. How did U fix the exposure?

-- Santanu Nag (santanu_nag@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.

Excellent photo Billy! Color and composition are great! I love the expression on the lizard. They are fascinating creatures and fun to watch. Despite his predicament he seems to have retained his pride. That was kind of you to move him to a shady spot. Donna

-- Donna P. Bollenbach (cassidy@icubed.net), November 10, 1999.

Very Nice! Pat

-- pat j. krentz (krentz@cci-29palms.com), November 10, 1999.

Very nice shot. Good composition too.

-- Alan Yeo (nature_sg@yahoo.com), November 11, 1999.

Thank you everyone for the comments. Here are the answeres to the questions: The film was RD, (Fujichrome 100). The exposure for this is pretty straight forward. Basically the lizard, the grass, and the sand are all lighter than middle tone. Typically I would spot meter part of the lizards dorsal surface with the sun shinning on it, (such as it's head), not its white undersurface or its sides which are in shadow here. I would then open up 2/3 of a stop. Getting close to this individual was no problem. I don't think it had any intention of going back onto that hot sand anytime soon. Normally earless lizards from this population are quite warry and difficult to approach. Interestingly the same species is very easilly approached in many other areas where I've seen them.

-- Billy Gorum (Herphoto@aol.com), November 12, 1999.

Great! Please post more.

-- Larry Korhnak (lvk@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu), November 12, 1999.