| Photograph Information |
Photographer's Comments |
Challenge: Hidden Gem 4,000 (Archival) (Standard Editing*)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1
Lens: Olympus 150mm f/2.0 Zuiko Digital
Location: Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
Date: May 20, 2017
Aperture: 2.0
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/4000
Date Uploaded: Oct 27, 2025
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An American Alligator clamps down on a red-eared slider at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Nature doesn't shy away from its harsh truths, and moments like this remind us that every hunter and hunted share the same circle of survival..Captured with the Olympus E-M1 and the legendary ZD 150mm f2.0 "Little Tuna"
This was so amazing to watch and photograph. I only caught the last 20 minutes of an hour-long battle to eat the turtle. The gator would raise his head and make 20 or 30 bites on the turtle before taking a break. I was able to watch and photograph 4 of these chomping episodes before he swallowed the turtle.
I shot this with my 150mm f2.0 lens, which gives me an effective 300mm of reach. The shooting conditions were terrible. Harsh bright light coming from behind the gator and to the right, about 30 degrees. Could not shoot from the other direction (which would have been a bit better) because the shoreline curved, and you could not get a view of him. This made getting a good exposure really hard, and then editing was super tough. I spent a lot of time on a series of shots from this, and while not perfect, they are acceptable. Would have preferred much better lighting, but as a wildlife photographer, you learn to make do with what you are given.
This is from the same sequence that I got my current PB from.
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