First Impressions ~ Costa Rica

Doka Coffee Estate, located on the slopes of the Alajuela Poas Volcano. Costa Rica.

it wasn't hard to pack for Costa Rica. Light clothing, a waterproof poncho, bathing suit, walking shoes and a fleece for chilly mountain temperatures were all I needed. I agonized over my camera equipment and, especially, the desire to bring my new macro lens. In the end, I left it at home (thank you JCB for that advice!) It was a good decision. There was no time to change lenses on the rugged and uneven trails, my hands (and everything else!) were slick with perspiration and sunscreen. Even my glasses were opaque with grime at the end of the day.

I've never done much wildlife photography and the trip was a challenge. The sluggish reptiles were cooperative subjects, but the butterflies and birds were difficult to capture. My small point and shoot was handy and the Canon EFS 18-200 mm was perfect for almost every situation. The following shots are from our first few days and our introduction at INBioParque. There are more photos on my Flickr Stream and hundreds more to edit and post!