Snakes come out to try to gather as much solar energy as they can. This afternoon, as I drove up toward the garage, I noticed a snake in the driveway. I narrowly averted squashing it. When I looked back it was still there, somewhat sluggish from the cool fall weather (about 10C / 50F outside). Given the garter snakes sluggishness, I had time to go in the house, gather up the photo equipment, and return to photograph the snake at my leisure. He looked at me somewhat leerily:

I eventually was able  to approach the snake face to face with the macro lens, and that generally did not bother him/her:

Additional photos http://michaelross.zenfolio.com/p524758637