Big Bertha (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes)

Why are you holding the tail it's the other end that bites and puts you in hospital, Your a lot barver than me getting that close to any venomous snake

I'd rather you than me!

I used to hold them by the head, but then I realised that I wasn't holding them properly (guess how I found that out- a couple of 'em managed to "break loose" and I had too many close calls). Nowadays I try to avoid holding them by the head (mostly because of their safety than mine). I choose to "tail 'em" because it gives me some measure of "controll" and they are not as scared as when I hold 'em by the head. I'm in luck because every one of them that I "tailed" was very placid and didn't try to bite.
Bravery has nothing to do with it. It's a combination of at least 90% luck and at most 10% skill, psychological conditioning (ignoring everything else) and understanding their body posture. It takes a while to achieve that "level". Ego is the main problem. I almost ended up in hospital because of mine, when I failed to keep it in check.
I have another story about me "tailing" a Nose-horned (a very strange experience), but that I reserve for his picture (not yet posted).

When I take pictures of those guys I always use my longer telephoto lens. I leave the "handling" to experts like yourself.

Thanks, Juan, but I acctully DON'T think of myself as an expert. I'm just "...a kid with more luck than brains..." when it comes to snakes. I don't know when the line is drawn in this field between an amature (like myself) and a true expert (i.e. Austin Stevens, Steve Irwin, Bruce George...). Is there a line? Perhaps it just falls down to the number of years that you do the "job"...?