When the family of Red-eared Slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) adopted an orphaned turtle, they had no idea that the baby would grow so big. Despite his disproportionate size, the larger turtle, an Eastern Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina), likes to participate in all family activities and doesn’t seem to realize that he is different from the other members of his adopted family.
I chose a natural setting for this family portrait and managed to catch almost everyone in a good pose—unfortunately, one of them had an attitude and refused to look directly at the camera and smile. Most of us have similar informal family portraits with the same problem. I don’t know how professional portrait photographers get everyone to cooperate.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Its maddening getting everyone in the same plane of focus with their eyes open!
I didn’t know turtles had red ears. Actually now that I think about it, I didn’t know that they had ears at all.
As far as I know, they don’t actually have external ears, but someone gave them the name because of the placement of the red marking on the head. It’s not as bad as some of the names that I have encountered.
I would think that little turtle on the snapper’s head would be somewhat vulnerable to the jaws of his “big brother”. I see a dragonfly resting on the snapper’s back as well. What a great wildlife photo, Mike.
I love your family portrait. It’s the one rogue guy that gives character to the whole shot and makes it better.
Thanks, Lyle. Those were my thoughts exactly. It’s a little unusual for a snapping turtle to be basking in the sun out of the water and really unusual for it to be in the midst of a bunch of smaller turtles.
saw some turtles in Turkey – very difficult to capture – great shot
Thanks. We have lots of turtles at my local marsh so I have lots of opportunities to photograph them. I like to try for an unusual shot, though, which is why I liked the view of the snapping turtle surrounded by the smaller turtles.