This large alligator had come to rest upon the grass at the edge of an Everglades swamp. I moved in on it (very quietly and carefully) until I was only a few feet way. I zoomed in on one leg, keeping only a bit of the armored belly and back for context. The resulting image stresses the detail that takes this creature back into prehistoric times. Through such detail, I am able to emphasize the subtle changes of skin pattern, the terrifying length of the toes and claws, and the tension building within the bent leg, We don’t really need to see the “rest of the alligator.” Our imaginations will do the rest.