My little friend

This photo was taken at Hanna Park in Jacksonville, FL. I was actually just hanging around the picnic area (waiting for food) when I decided to check out the nearby tree trunks for any possible photo-worthy subjects.

And there he was. I got closer and closer, snapping a picture each time I leaned in. Then I took a couple steps forward, snapping more pics. He just sat there, staring at me. He twisted his head back and forth a few times - like a dog does when it's trying to understand you.

I was very pleased with this photo because the lighting was just about perfect and the photos turned out very sharp. The detail in his eyes and his skin is remarkable! f5-f8 is definitely the sweet spot on my 28-80mm lens. Definitely view it in large format.

I keep saying "he," but it's entirely possible this was a female lizard. It never did any of the typical male behaviors I witnessed other lizards of the same species doing that day. These include showing off its colorful throat (I don't think it had one), bobbing its head and other behaviors designed to attract mates.

Camera Model: NIKON D50
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 70.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO equiv: 400
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)