First Breath
Category
Macro
Location
Ryton, England
Gear
Sony A7RV, Sony 90mm Macro lens, Godox V1S Flash, Cygnustech Diffuser
Description
A Sakishima Grass Lizard takes its first breath after slicing through the egg with its tiny egg tooth—the small triangular structure visible on the upper lip. This specialised tool, used only once, soon falls away after hatching. Knowing the likely timing from when the egg was laid, I checked each morning in hope of capturing this precise moment. To protect the hatchling from the cold, I worked quickly, placing the egg on a black acrylic surface and lighting it with flash and diffuser. The final image is a carefully crafted 15-frame stack, shot at ISO 100, 1/250 sec, f/8, and combined in Helicon Focus, I cloned out some small pieces of vermiculite incubating substrate in post. The black mark on the egg is a simple safeguard: when reptile eggs are laid, they must never be turned, as rotation can be fatal to the embryo. A fleeting instant of new life, preserved through patience, precision, and light.
Photographer
Jamie Peters
Social Media
Instagram: jamiepeters.co.uk
Twitter: JamiePeters33
Facebook: jamiepeters.co.uk
Website: www.jamiepeters.co.uk
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