Anatol lizards roam all over East Texas and the southern USA. They are especially abundant in the spring and summer. This little guy (above) had just snagged a bug on a branch and the one below was looking for a mate.
Anatol lizards are easy to photograph, but you probably need a telephoto lens and a little patience to do it properly. They are skittish to say the least. I like the way this Anatole blends in with the pink flower petals and foliage. The telephoto lens nicely throws the background out of focus.
For the technical minded, I photographed this little Anatol lizard at 1/160 second at f/5.6 with an ISO of 100. The focal length on my lens was 183mm (telephoto).
I did some research and I learned that Anatol lizards display their "dewlap" (pouch) to attract mates. I watched this fellow for a while, and he would "puff his pouch" for hours in a never-ending search for just the right lady-friend.
Perhaps this is a bit of a stretch, but is this not what we humans do to attract mates?
No, we don't display our "dewlap." But, think about it; young men drive tricked out cars and girls wear "sexy" clothes. Guys and girls spray on cologne and perfume. Hair styles express a person's personality for sure, but don't tell me attracting a boyfriend or girlfriend plays no role in our hair-style decision.
Then there's a girl's makeup and low cut tops. I could argue that a girl's makeup and clothing is a human female's version of an Anatol displaying his "dewlap."
Now that I have offended everyone with my comparisons, I hope you enjoy photographing creatures in your garden. It is great fun. Just don't get caught up in lizard gamesmanship.
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