Don't get mossed in the forest

This scene is from high up in the Costa Rican mountains near San Isidro. They are opening a new National Park there aptly names Parque Nacional Quetzal, because of the frequency of seeing the famed quetzal birds there. We were driving back from Playa Uvita and stopped in the mountains for lunch. The temps were so nice we decided to take a walk on the new trails. I actually got to hug my husband for the first time since we have been in Costa Rica. It is normally to hot during our hikes. We have plans to go back ; ).

Go to Sheep little one

Scottish sheep on the Isle of Harris in May.

Green Vine Snake, 2 more

Only slightly venomous this snake is really only interested in feeding itself. It would only bite a human or larger animal if it felt in danger for its life.

Green Vine Snake

We were walking back from delivering a cake to our neighbors and came upon this guy attempting to snatch a gecko in a banana tree. He missed the gecko and then noting our presence stayed in the tree long enough for Barry to run into the house and get his gear. We will post two more images of him tomorrow. If you want to learn more about Vine snakes go to wikipedia.

Arenal in Infrared

This is Arenal Volcano in Northern Costa Rica. During the green season the cone is covered with moisture on most days. The best days for viewing are during Jan through April early in the morning. If you are lucky the night time brings spectacular views of the lava flowing down the sides with boulders being spit up and out of the middle. You should come and see. 10degreesabove.com is our official photography tour company website.

Jumping spider

This tiny little guy is much cuter under the microscope.

Simple components

This image may not be an instant eye catcher but it has all the components of a solid image. The rocks are in the foreground to fill the frame, large tree limbs reach out to the left to help fill as well. It's basic but depending on what the company who is buying it wants it could have just the perfect amount of room on the left hand side for text. This image was shot to sell.

Here comes Peter Cotton-tail

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way.

Incense-d

This image is of smoke from an incense cone with a few different colored gels covering the light source. You just let the smoke rise, add the colored light and then flip the image a few times in photoshop. I really love these.

A Tiny violin

An absolutely stunning dragonfly. Barry caught him in a butterfly net and then put him in a small plastic bag. He cut a lens hole in the bag and added some greenery for background. Insect images require a lot of patience. The insect must be in the right spot, be still for just a minute and not be freaked out by the flash. You must also be prepared to take hundreds of shots because you never know when one movement spawns a blur. If you take your time and prepare correctly you can get an image that you love.

What a wonderful world

The natural waterslide from a different angle. On top of the mountain here on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica.

Tree Frog in triplicate

So little and so cute. He kept jumping on Barry. He was leaping at least 3 feet in a single bound. The pads of his feet are very sticky. He can walk upside down for a very long time.

Tree Frog

This little guy was coming into our bathroom at night. I would see him in the early morning but he would disappear before we could get our hands on him. So when the power went out for two days he started feeling comfortable in the dark and we got him! Barry set up a little froggie eden right underneath his lens and this is one of the images he made.

Rufous-tailed hummingbird

So dainty.

Parrot Feather

Our Christmas colors are green and orange this year. This is our first holiday season in Costa Rica and we are celebrating it by enjoying the diversity of life here. This is a parrot feather up close and personal. We see parrots and toucans everyday here and hope that we will continue to in the future. When you are unwrapping your cherished gifts please remember that cardboard, plastics and glass can all be made into something new. Without nature we are nothing.

It would make a pretty bedspread

This a simple macro of a weed in Kentucky. I've always wanted to model my bedroom colors after it.

Stairway

A handmade staircase in Amani National Perserve in Tanzania.

Hobbit Hole

This image was shot in Marble Arch Caves in Northern Ireland. Due to the overwhelming green-ness of Ireland we desaturated this one a wee bit. The cave system is mostly limestone and runs for approximately 3 miles.

Slow and Easy

In honor of our Costa Rica trip today I decided to highlight the two toed sloth. These little buggers are so slow that they only go to the bathroom once a week. It's partly because it takes them a long time to process the nuts & berries they eat but it is also a safety measure. Cats are their primary predators so they have to be careful descending to the ground to often.

Lily White

This lily in the Costa Rican jungle is an example of how to get lucky with light. If it was a cloudy day or if the sun was in a different position this lily would not have appeared so magnificent. It literally stopped us in our tracks. Art Wolfe critiqued this picture and he said that he would have removed the smaller lily in the background to give this flower the attention it deserved. Art Wolfe is a master in composition so next time we will heed his advice.