The_Boaphile
06-29-2004, 12:30 PM
I removed all the posts on this tread before things got too out of hand.
I saw the picture too. Let's for a moment for the sake of discussion forget who's photo it was that was posted earlier. The photo looked doctored. The color did not look real at all and the animal looked nothing like every other Blood Boa I have ever seen either. If I had an animal that truly looked like that, I could take a good photograph that would not look fake like that one did. In fact if I was trying to show off an animal that was as outrageous as that animal looked in that photograph, I would go way out of my way to take a photograph that looked undoctored. I can't say if that animal really looks like the photo looked or not. I do not know Mr. Russo at all. I have not heard anything but good about him so I would not accuse him of doctoring the photo. However if anyone had an animal that looked like that and asked me what kind of photograph he could take to show off that animal, I would council him to take a completely different photo that would remove all doubt that the color shown is real. I hope it is possible to think about this without my post seeming to be any giving any sort of criticism toward anyone in particular.
Now, not regarding this photo but I HAVE seen the many, many, many other Photos over the years that I have believed to be blatant Photoshop art work and not the animals themselves. Unnatural backgrounds, blue fabric, gravel, carpet or paper back grounds, with the telltale tint of pink or red, light tables, pink newspaper, orange Aspen bedding. I could go on. The bottom line, for those like myself who own animals that are colors that are hard to believe, to take those pictures on a background that makes the animal suspect is just not the wisest thing to do. For that reason I prefer natural backgrounds or place something like a normal Albino in a photo to show off the Pastel Albinos I have made for instance. Natural live greenery like grass makes a great backdrop as well really helping to highlight the true red influence in Boas. This takes away most doubt that many no doubt have. The other thing that can remove doubt is testimony from other folks that have seen the animals in the flesh. This is the reason I brought some Pastel Albinos to Daytona last year. All the "Boa Guys" came by offering profanity as high praise over the colors of the animals I had brought. That is worth 100 pictures on the web that may or may not be reality.
Altering color using an opposite color background like a white light table or a blue blanket is relatively easy. Simply take the picture, and then add more red color using Photoshop or any of the other photo programs out there and badda boom badda bang. More intensely colored Boa. But the trained eye like mine can see what has been done. I have seen it scores of times but never say anything. I am still not "saying anything" regarding this photo since I can't attest to it's authenticity and the only one who really can is the one who took the photo. But if you have a great looking animal, take your photos on a natural background and or better yet drop in a normal Albino or use greenery as a background to show that in fact those extra high pinks and reds are really there and not just the click of a key on the keyboard. Then the masses will have nothing but high praise and fascination with the true beauty that can be seen by one and all.
I saw the picture too. Let's for a moment for the sake of discussion forget who's photo it was that was posted earlier. The photo looked doctored. The color did not look real at all and the animal looked nothing like every other Blood Boa I have ever seen either. If I had an animal that truly looked like that, I could take a good photograph that would not look fake like that one did. In fact if I was trying to show off an animal that was as outrageous as that animal looked in that photograph, I would go way out of my way to take a photograph that looked undoctored. I can't say if that animal really looks like the photo looked or not. I do not know Mr. Russo at all. I have not heard anything but good about him so I would not accuse him of doctoring the photo. However if anyone had an animal that looked like that and asked me what kind of photograph he could take to show off that animal, I would council him to take a completely different photo that would remove all doubt that the color shown is real. I hope it is possible to think about this without my post seeming to be any giving any sort of criticism toward anyone in particular.
Now, not regarding this photo but I HAVE seen the many, many, many other Photos over the years that I have believed to be blatant Photoshop art work and not the animals themselves. Unnatural backgrounds, blue fabric, gravel, carpet or paper back grounds, with the telltale tint of pink or red, light tables, pink newspaper, orange Aspen bedding. I could go on. The bottom line, for those like myself who own animals that are colors that are hard to believe, to take those pictures on a background that makes the animal suspect is just not the wisest thing to do. For that reason I prefer natural backgrounds or place something like a normal Albino in a photo to show off the Pastel Albinos I have made for instance. Natural live greenery like grass makes a great backdrop as well really helping to highlight the true red influence in Boas. This takes away most doubt that many no doubt have. The other thing that can remove doubt is testimony from other folks that have seen the animals in the flesh. This is the reason I brought some Pastel Albinos to Daytona last year. All the "Boa Guys" came by offering profanity as high praise over the colors of the animals I had brought. That is worth 100 pictures on the web that may or may not be reality.
Altering color using an opposite color background like a white light table or a blue blanket is relatively easy. Simply take the picture, and then add more red color using Photoshop or any of the other photo programs out there and badda boom badda bang. More intensely colored Boa. But the trained eye like mine can see what has been done. I have seen it scores of times but never say anything. I am still not "saying anything" regarding this photo since I can't attest to it's authenticity and the only one who really can is the one who took the photo. But if you have a great looking animal, take your photos on a natural background and or better yet drop in a normal Albino or use greenery as a background to show that in fact those extra high pinks and reds are really there and not just the click of a key on the keyboard. Then the masses will have nothing but high praise and fascination with the true beauty that can be seen by one and all.