Stinger in the sun

Carlos Pérez Naval's Image

This common yellow scorpion is flourishing its sting as a warning.

Carlos had found it basking on a flat stone in a rocky area near his home in Torralba de los Sisones, northeast Spain – a place he often visits to look for reptiles. The late afternoon Sun was casting such a lovely glow over the scene that Carlos decided to experiment with a double exposure for the first time so he could include it. He started with the background, using a fast speed so as not to overexpose the Sun, and then shot the scorpion using a low flash. But he had to change lenses, using his zoom for the Sun, which is when the scorpion noticed the movement and raised its tail. Carlos then had to wait for it to settle before taking his close-up, with the last of the light illuminating its body.


Behind the lens

Carlos Pérez Naval

Carlos Pérez Naval

Spain

Carlos has been taking photographs since he was five. He has won prizes in several international competitions and was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2014. He loves nature and spends as much time as possible photographing the plants and animals near his home in Spain and on holiday.

Image details

  • Nikon D300
  • 105mm f2.8 lens (28–300mm lens for the background)
  • 1/320 sec at f10  •   ISO 320
  • Torralba de los Sisones, Teruel, Spain
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