Caiman Swamp by Will & Matt B-L

Tuesday, 17th June 2008

Caiman Swamp

by Will & Matt B-L

We photographed this spectacled caiman in the north of the Brazilian Pantanal. The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world – approximately 20 times the size of the Florida Everglades. The caiman was hidden away in a thick swampy area. To photograph it, we mounted the camera on a tripod with the legs fully extended. One of us held the tripod by its feet and directed the camera towards the caiman whilst the other trigged the shutter using a remote cord. This allowed us to get the camera on the same level as the caiman and about 1 foot away from the end of its nose!

Will & Matt B-L

We are brothers from the UK with a shared passion for wildlife photography.

Willbl.com
Mattbl.com

28 Comments

Lisa Atkins Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 12:24 am
This is so awesome!! Love the story, too! He looks like a log, floating in the water. Well, except for the eye that is looking straight at you. Wonderful shot!
Katherine Lee Strassburg Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Down and dirty in the swamp! You guys are totally nuts, but I admire your ingenuity and determination to get a shot that takes us with you into the muck!
That’s a REAL nature photo–it makes a real statement. Great work.
Kirk Jordan Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Whew… talk about primal. Gives me the wonder-woolies. (A sense of amazement and fear at the same time.) Question: What’s going on with the shallow deapth of field. It seems odd for bright light. Is it just that close?
Andreea Teodorescu Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Excellent !
Malta Photography Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 7:46 am
wow what a wonderful shot, it is really camouflaged. I really like the closeup though and the blurred background
Anurag Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 7:48 am
I am speechless!! both at your wonderful work and at the amazing camouflage! If it were not for the eye all one could see would have been a piece of drifting log!!
Pauline Jones Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Lovely shot; it’s nice to know that there are some wetlands still left in this world.
Matt Harvey Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Fantastic up close and personal shot – the effort you went to really paid off – thanks for sharing
Thomas Blackmore Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I really like the technique you used to get this great photo!
David Doe Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 9:31 am
An awesome capture. I love it.
Chris Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 10:57 am
ha.
do not let yourself get camoflagued!
Martin Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Pretty colors.
Forgive me, but there’s too much going on here.
Thomas Vignaud Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Superb shot.
Actually, I’m trying to figure out if I can be mad enought to go and do an underwater or under-over shot of that ^^
ChrisB Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Where there is a Will there is a way! Great teamwork for a great shot.
Ahmed Sharif Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
that was a deadly catch!!……. bullseye!!
planet lover Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Congratulations on your great team work! The results are simply amazing. What a great picture you’ve taken there!
Ellie Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Amazing and truly an image that was executed with ingenuity! Great pick for POTD editors!
Marie Dunphy Harding Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I’m glad that you pointed out the subject; he’s being cautious, but still curious.
Great teamwork, guys.
Renee Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Wow! Great photo!
yasmin Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
AMAZING shot!!!
a. Says:
June 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
He blends in so well! I almost didn’t notice him there!
Photo Buffet Says:
June 18th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Were you wearing a t-shirt with LUNCH printed on the front? He’s really giving you the eye.

Great shot! If not for his eye, I would have mistaken him for a log in the water.
Susan Gagnon Says:
June 19th, 2008 at 2:20 am
I didn’t even see him..I honestly did not see him. Well done.
Lakshmi Says:
June 19th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
LOL@ Photo Buffet’s comment!

Cant marvel enough @ natural ability of some species to camouflage!

If I did manage to spot him, I think I would have ran and ran hard. And I don’t think I would even mind leaving my camera behind
Pieter -sAner- van der Horst Says:
June 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Excellent! Very unusual. I like the composition and the way the caiman is blending in perfectly with the surroundings is fantastic. How did you pull this off?
Pieter -sAner- van der Horst Says:
June 20th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Ah, I should have read the story first! Now I know how you pulled this one off. Marvelous story and picture.
su Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 7:35 am
This is fantastic, what lengths you go to for the sake of your art and what a result.
mike Says:
July 22nd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
A lot of hiding places there for him.