Caspian Whipsnake

[Edmond Themeli]

I found this guy basking near a ditch.A small piece of it's tail was missing and he was covered in dust from hibernation but other than that he was in a good shape

[Berislav Horvatic]

(1) Lucky you!

(2) Excellent photos!!!

(3) Where & why have you been hiding (from us here, at least) up to now?! Please introduce yourself!
There is a box/folder/subtitle - or whatever one should call it in the today's language - to just that
purpose here. (Maybe I've missed that, but if not, please do it!)

[Edmond Themeli]

I see these snakes often,not as often as some years ago maybe because people destroy their habitat,burn bushes and throw garbage all around which is sad.I haven't been hiding but believe it or not i didn't have a decent camera until now

[Berislav Horvatic]

I haven't been hiding but believe it or not i didn't have a decent camera until now

Your photos, at least those you have just shown us, are superb, no question about that. And keep in mind,
a "decent" camera doesn't help if you are not decent yourself. A long time ago, I had my two first OFFICIAL
& PUBLIC exhibitions of photographs, that had been made with a pocket camera µ[mju:] zoom. (That was
back in 1999.) At the public opening of one of them I was approached by a "real" photographer (who can
afford, and does use, not only a good Nikon, but maybe even a Hasselblad), and he kindly asked me: "Dear
colleague (!), which equipment have you used...?" What could I have told him...? That my camera is a pocket
one (albeit a superb one - in that class - at the time!), and that what matters is where you go, what you SEE,
and whether you use your brain...
Please (everybody) pardon me this outpouring of sentimentality, but I still believe that what really matters
is the person behind (or with) the camera... Of course the advanced technology helps a lot, but still...

[Edmond Themeli]

You are right,passion above technology.I try and make photos as artistic as i can but without exaggerating.The camera i used before was terrible and worthless but i can't complain about the one i have now.It's a Olympus Stylus VR-370 not a professional one of course but shots good pictures,i can't complain at all,i'm satisfied for now.Later i'll get a Canon or a Sony for sure

[Berislav Horvatic]

Olympus Stylus VR-370

I've had a look - practically the best one can get for really small money - hope it's still available
on the market, since I have to find a camera for my neighbour who wants something like that,
and wants it immediately...
Regarding modest compact cameras, look at this picture (not cropped at all, just resized to fit here):

Just a compact camera (Nikon Coolpix P90) in its "macro mode", nothing else; the shooting distance
was 2 cm, or a few milimeters less. With both gloves on, of course - which is the price one has to pay
for not having (in my case, not wanting to have) anything much more sophisticated (and heavy), with
a macro objective and all that stuff... But it works, doesn't it?
(BTW, it's a portrait of a gorgeous female with "especially beautiful eyes" from two days ago.)

[Edmond Themeli]

My wife sent me that from the states and it was expensive for a pocket camera but i love it cos it has cool features and menu.Not a perfect one but works for me until i move to the states and buy a professional And your viper is beautiful there's no doubt about it

[Berislav Horvatic]

My wife sent me that from the states and it was expensive for a pocket camera but i love it cos it has cool features and menu.Not a perfect one but works for me until i move to the states and buy a professional And your viper is beautiful there's no doubt about it

I checked today - Olympus Stylus VR-370 costs about 100 USD, depending on the seller. That's the price offered nowadays,
which is really cheap for a pocket camera with the characteristics this one has.
Unfortunately, in a specialized shop in Zagreb I learned that it is not produced any more and is out of stock in the whole
of Croatia.
So, either buy second-hand, or forget it. A pity.

[Edmond Themeli]

Well mine was more than 100 $ but i let my wife chose so i didn't know what she would get and since she's not a techy person she let the seller suggest something for her.

[Berislav Horvatic]

Well mine was more than 100 $ but i let my wife chose so i didn't know what she would get
and since she's not a techy person she let the seller suggest something for her.

Well, my Internet search has convinced me that he/she suggested your wife most probably the best solution within the
required class, at the time. So, even that can happen sometimes - that a "non-tech" person gets lucky with the seller...
And "the final recipient" (that is, you, in this case) with the result. Actually, the "final recipients" are we, in this forum,
so we are greatful to your wife, the seller, and you, of course, who has made the best of what you got. Roger & out.