Smithsonian.com

Oh yes, I forgot to add to my last comment. You are fortunate to have got such a great shot of nature at its best.

The frog had both its back legs hanging on to a leaf and as my eyes followed up from its back legs to its body, I saw one of its front legs holding on to another leaf. My eyes followed up to its head and then to its other front leg. Oh no! That leg was in the mouth of a black snake. I ran in to get my video camera but remembered I left it at my house. I drove down the street to where I live and searched my room for my camera. Oh no! My camera must be at my mom's! I drove back to her house, ran straight into the house without stopping to see the unfortunate fate of the frog and the fortunate snake. I found the camera and ran back out to catch the incident on film. OH NO!! They were gone! So, I’m not sure of either’s fortune or misfortune. Darn! I never know when to carry my camera.

Do this to an innocent frog? How do people think snakes survive in the wild? I don't agree that it is fake but I do agree that it is a great shot. The haters are just mad you had the patience to wait it out and get the right shot.

Remarkable photo - and patience

Thank you Charles for your patience in capturing this incredible photograph of nature in the purest form. I love that you have 185 frames to document this predatory assault. It takes time and patience to capture nature in action. Thank you for having both the snake and frog's eyes in sharp focus. Good luck with this entry!

If you have ever seen a hungry snake eat you would know that this is not a posed or staged photo. When the snake strikes its prey there is very little time in between the attack and the actual consumption. This is an amazing photo. Perfect light and clarity! Great job.

Again with the gasps of the naive and pretentious. Who appointed you to make comments on the verities of nature? You are not here for your self-aggrandizement. Take that to some equally pretentious and naive newspaper op ed. This is a startlingly great photo, and it's insulting to anyone who knows anything to assume it is a set-up. The look on the frog's face, indeed. What baloney.

What's with all the comments on this being fake? All you armchair naturists and "snake experts" would be surprised what you see if you go outside and look at nature as often as you stare at your computers and tvs. Snakes will do whatever it takes to get a meal - even exposing their underbelly. Not that it matters much when he's got a mouthful of frog - he's not going to fight off anyone anyway, so what difference does it make? Nice capture, Chuck! I really need to start toting a camera around with me when I'm outdoors more often.

Although disturbing to see, this photo evokes the beauty and horror of nature, life & death at a very basic level. Snakes are part of the ecosystem, they must eat to live. The frog ate something before the snake ate it - it's how nature works.

Although I am a firm believer in "reincarnation"...I still don't like to see such violent shots of nature!! I don't see how a photographer or a film crew can sit by and film an animal attacking and eating another animal, it makes me shudder...I couldn't do it..no matter how good a photo would turn out!

Excellent capture! Patience is a virtue. I watch the snakes in our gardens stalk their prey. You captured the moment very well. Congratulations!

This shot is nothing like what I thought it would be. I like it though. By the way, what happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt on their work? How can you fake a shot like that? Just wondering.

I happen to know this photographer and I can assure you it was not a set up. Remarkable photograph.

I have a 185 frame sequence to document the photo. The snake was in the cataials for the entire episode and was never on the ground.

I'll be glad to share it! I assure you what you see is "actual."