• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

3-Toed Sloth - Costa Rica

Another shot from April's Costa Rica Workshop trip.

This was taken at Manuel Antonio Park, on the southern Pacific coast. We were walking on one of the paths and came across a group of people watching a 3-Toed Sloth, carrying a baby, moderately high up in a tree. I found a position to set up, and started shooting. Interestingly, it kept climbing lower and lower, moving about as fast as any sloth I've seen before.

Now I had heard many times before that Sloths spend essentially all their time in trees, coming down only perhaps once a week, to defecate. And it appeared that this one was about to do just that, which I had never seen before. It continued its downward climb, despite a moderate crowd of people not too far away, and proceeded to take care of its business.

I may be imagining it, but that facial expression looks somewhat similar to that of a human involved in a similar activity!

No flash was used, as one of the Park Personnel was actively advising everyone that flash was not permitted (in my opinion, a well-intentioned, but misguided attitude that I frequently encounter), so I had to bump up ISO and slow my shutter speed.

Canon 1D Mark 2
Canon 100-400/f3.5-5.6 IS at 400 mm
ISO 1000, f/5.6, 1/80 second - Manual Exposure​

1D2_06685.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Another shot from April's Costa Rica Workshop trip.

This was taken at Manuel Antonio Park, on the southern Pacific coast. We were walking on one of the paths and came across a group of people watching a 3-Toed Sloth, carrying a baby, moderately high up in a tree. I found a position to set up, and started shooting. Interestingly, it kept climbing lower and lower, moving about as fast as any sloth I've seen before.

Now I had heard many times before that Sloths spend essentially all their time in trees, coming down only perhaps once a week, to defecate. And it appeared that this one was about to do just that, which I had never seen before. It continued its downward climb, despite a moderate crowd of people not too far away, and proceeded to take care of its business.

I may be imagining it, but that facial expression looks somewhat similar to that of a human involved in a similar activity!

No flash was used, as one of the Park Personnel was actively advising everyone that flash was not permitted (in my opinion, a well-intentioned, but misguided attitude that I frequently encounter), so I had to bump up ISO and slow my shutter speed.

Canon 1D Mark 2
Canon 100-400/f3.5-5.6 IS at 400 mm
ISO 1000, f/5.6, 1/80 second - Manual Exposure​

1D2_06685.jpg


Don,

This is so amazing to me. That pose and expression is killing! The fellow looks like a tortoise came out of a his shell and got a fur coat and now says, "See folks, I did it!"

Asher

BTW. is that a beetle on it's right shoulder?
 
Yes - a beetle of some type. Interesting comparison, Asher - very creative, but I can definitley see it!

Sloths are very commonly seen in Costa Rica, but more often than not, they're high up in trees, with awful backlighting, branches and leaves getting in the way, etc. But every once in a while we get a close-up, clear shot!
 
Top