It was uncomfortably hot for me and I tried to stay in the shade as much as possible during a recent visit to Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. A Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), however, had pulled itself almost completely out of the water to maximize its exposure to the direct sunlight. For the record, I am not the kind of guy who enjoys baking in the sun on a beach.
I really like the turtle’s pose and the way that it stands out amidst all of the water and the abundant vegetation. The beautiful reflection was a nice bonus, adding a bit of symmetry and additional visual interest to the image.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great turtle photograph
Thanks, Louis. It is a pretty basic photo, composition-wise, but it seems to work pretty well.
Wonderful shot. I think the sheen on the turtle’s shell and the white flashes on its head mean the eye is immediately drawn to it as the focal subject in the composition and that reflection really is lovely.
I have been wondering how you’ve been feeling in the heat this year. Any walks we have been on have been early and brief because the heat and humidity has just been gross. I feel lucky that I have so many indoor hobbies.
Thanks, Laura, for your wonderfully detailed comments. I cut back quite a bit on my outings during July, primarily because of the heat and humidity. The last couple of weeks I have been binge-watching the Olympics, which kept me indoors a lot. I have resumed doing cross-stitching after a 20 year break and that has also consumed quite a bit of my time too. Things seem to be cooling off a little, so I am hoping to get out a little more often soon.
Happy basking turtle! I admit I am an anti-turtle: when the sun comes out bright and hot, I run to find the shade. Nice shot.