Photography http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/ en Copyright 2006 Fri, 06 Jan 2006 22:00:41 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Paradise Tree Snake Portrait The paradise tree snake is one of five species of 'flying' snakes that live in South and Southeast Asia. These incredible snakes live in trees and occassionally take to the air, with some gliding better than some flying squirrels. Why they leave the safety of the perch to hurtle their bodies as if swimming through air, we don't yet know.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000274 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000274 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 22:00:41 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake Airborn Upon becoming airborne, the paradise tree snake flattens out from just behind the head to its vent (seen here as a small bump at the end where the scale pattern changes). On the bottom surface, the snake's cross-section is mostly flat with a small curve on each side, giving the snake a concave shape somewhat akin to a frisbee. The flattening doubles the snake's width.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000273 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000273 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 21:01:41 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake Takes Off The paradise tree snake taking off, viewed from the rear. In the first panel, the snake is still rounded. By the time of its maximum reach in the second panel, the front part of the snake has flattened - notice that the body on the branch is still round. In the third panel, the snake has flattened and is headed for a target unknown.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000272 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000272 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:01:59 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake In Flight The snake's top surface becomes triangular in shape in flight. Its head stays aimed in the direction of travel, so that the snake sees where it's headed all throughout the flight, as you would expect.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000271 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000271 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 19:02:33 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake Body The body of the paradise tree snake. This species is black and green, with some animals showing a red or orange petal-like pattern on their back. Although bright colors often warn of danger, flying snakes are only mildly venomous, and blend surprisingly well with the surrounding vegetation.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000270 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000270 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 18:03:13 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake: Side View The paradise tree snake in side view during flight. The snake's body moves up and down in the vertical plane, with the rear half of the body traveling far more than the front. This photograph was taken indoors at the Field Museum in Chicago - the snake's shadow can be seen on a nearby wall.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000269 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000269 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 17:04:45 -0500 Golden Tree Snake Takes Off The golden tree snake taking off. How does an animal with no legs get into the air? These snakes jump by first dropping their body into a J-shaped loop and then accelerating up and away from the branch. During the acceleration they grip the branch with the back half of their body. By the time that they're fully airborne, their body has become fully flattened.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000268 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000268 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 16:10:00 -0500 Paradise Tree Snake Post Takeoff The paradise tree snake just after takeoff. The snake sends traveling waves down its body during flight, and here a wave is seen forming just behind the head. In full gliding mode, the snake appears to form a wide S-shape.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000267 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000267 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:06:52 -0500 View From Below A view from below. The first 'lump' is the heart, and the other small lumps further down the snake are likely food items in various stages of digest.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000266 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000266 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 14:07:56 -0500 Rear Body and Tail The rear body and tail. The body is contorted at this point, a consequence of the twisting that takes place during takeoff.

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000265 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/jakes_flying_snakes/#000265 Jake's Flying Snakes Fri, 06 Jan 2006 13:09:02 -0500 Circles of Light Movement, circles, and magnification combine to depict that one can always look deeper and with more clarity.�

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000167 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000167 Transformation and Balance Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:11:36 -0500 Joie Expansiveness and possibility. The empty space depicts serenity for without it, instead of possibility, a sense of feeling overwhelmed can prevail.�

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000166 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000166 Transformation and Balance Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:10:35 -0500 Shells To Birds Steps in a reaction are tiny but change occurs as one thing becomes another.�

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000165 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000165 Transformation and Balance Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:09:32 -0500 Synchronicity Slight transformations always remind me of the importance of each part of the process and how, when combined, everything flows gracefully. And often there is a cyclic nature to these reactions, back and forth, leading to the creation of what is necessary and removal of what is not.�

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000164 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000164 Transformation and Balance Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:08:24 -0500 Liquid and Solid From roots growing downward at the bottom of the piece to forms moving up and outward, expanding, always with more room to move and grow.�

]]> http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000163 http://www.seedmagazine.com/photography/transformation_and_balance/#000163 Transformation and Balance Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:07:44 -0500