Wildlife of Costa Rica

I think this image was a top ten for me from the time I saw it submitted to the contest. While perhaps there are edits I might suggest, the simple truth is that it captures a direct connection to the photographer in those large intelligent and inquisitive eyes, and more so, elicits a feeling from the viewer that we are all connected, and that the photographer's curiosity is matched by those of this beautiful fellow earthling. Thanks for submitting!!

I chose this photo to review and place amongst the top ten because it captures not only the whimsical nature of these marvelous fellow earthlings but captures a brief connection with the photographer. A thoughtful aperture reveals just the right amount of rainforest foliage and correlating color to pull the capture into a unified story of the world of this beauty, and just enough sky to show the canopy opening into something more expansive. thanks for capturing this whimsical curious fellow earthling and sharing.

I found myself revisiting this capture over and over. There are so many elements I enjoy and attribute to the acuity of the photographer's eye. Very keen focus and depth of field, but mostly the composition and correlation of colors between the bird and the plant life. and the lines of the palm bark complementing the curve of the bird's neck. I'd love to see it cropped out a bit more to get the tip of the tail and a little more height above the toucan's head. But all in all a superb capture. Thanks for sharing!

Motion, character and shape all play a part in why this image stayed in my focus. The parrot snake's movement, a slight flash of the fangs and the clarity in the eye, with a perfect backwash of greens and yellows to compliment the snake's color. I'd love to see this with the yellow eye perfectly centered in the crop, displayed on a wall, to really demand the observers attention. Such character and motion. Thanks for submitting this dynamic capture!

A terrific atmospheric capture. I love the body language and attitude of the subject enjoying the rainfall, pushing up into the warm rain. The perfect distribution of rainfall (motion) and textured blur of the background to highlight the shape and colors of the toucan. I'm always enamored of flora and fauna together, to create a full story of the wildlife and their world, taking it a step beyond a portrait. The droplets forming along the lower moss covered branch and air plants highlights more texture and motion. That, along with the rainy season atmosphere set against the color pop of the toucan's bright plumage, kept this capture in my top ten all along. CONGRATS & Thanks for sharing!