Serpent's Gaze

As a wildlife photographer coming from Southern Africa, visiting Costa Rica and witnessing the vibrant colours was something out of the ordinary for me. Ethics regarding the animal's comfort is crucial for me. With the assistance of local guides, we took some test flashes of each animal, and after observing their body behaviours and seeing that the flashes did not bother them, I pursued the capturing of these images. Captured here is a Side-Striped Pitviper, which is a venomous snake found in Central and South America. It is named after the distinctive stripes running down the sides of its body. The pitviper is a solitary and nocturnal predator, often found in trees or shrubs near water sources. Its venom is hemotoxic, causing tissue damage and interfering with blood clotting, and it can be dangerous to humans. However, despite its potential danger, the Side-Striped Pitviper is an important part of the ecosystem, preying on small mammals and helping to regulate their populations. The colours of this docile snake is something I absolutely fell in love with. This is one of my personal favourite images to date.