Photography by Mike Shane

15/06/2024

Welcome to Nature Photography Day!

13/02/2024

It is with great excitement that I announce the publication of a photography book about the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica by my close friend Tom Olivo. The stunning, fine art, imagery in Sweet Gulf features the natural beauty and uniqueness of one of the world's most biodiverse habitats on the planet. I was fortunate to contribute several dozen images to this book which was recently featured on the front page of the Tico Times. https://ticotimes.net/2024/01/19/sweet-gulf-celebrates-the-biodiversity-of-costa-ricas-osa

Sweet Gulf is 328 pages with 370 photos. Books are available for purchase at:

www.flyfishingportraits.com/sweet-gulf-book

The price is $79.00 and profits will ultimately benefit all seven of the Not-for-Profit conservation organizations on the Osa Peninsula that are featured in the book.

.conservation

22/01/2024

It was a privilege to make it in the top 0.8% from over 11,800 entries for this contest. Thank you for the opportunity!
Enjoy nature, Close-up!

01/11/2023

Happy Belated Halloween!!
Here are two female Green Lynx spiders that I recently captured. One protecting its egg sac and the other foraging.
Take time to enjoy nature around you today and everyday!

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Nikon 850
Tamron SP 90mm VC
Nikon SB-700 flash with AK diffuser
Monopod
ISO 2000-3200, 1/800-1250, f32.0
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15/06/2023

My previous post was a month early as today is officially Nature Photography Day! This is an unidentified moth in Costa Rica. There are estimated to be 600,000 species of insects in Costa Rica alone. 80% of those remain undescribed. This could be one such critter.
Take time to enjoy nature around you today & everyday.
Enjoy!

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Nikon D850
Tamron SP 90mm VC
Nikon SB-700 flash with AK Diffuser
Handheld
ISO 800, 1/500 sec, f16.0
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15/05/2023

Welcome to Nature Photography Day!
This image was captured in the last August as a storm passed through the park. Not many people were around to observe this awesome scene in nature.
Take time to enjoy the nature around you today and all year long!
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Nikon D850
Tamron SP 15-30 mm at 30mm
NiSi Landscape CPL
Dolica tripod with cable release
ISO 400, 1/160 sec, f 16.0
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23/11/2022

Thank you to Mike Moats for holding this contest and Acratech for the providing the prize. I should mention that I first got interested in macro photography when I attended a weekend workshop by Mike Moats in San Diego many years ago. I went onward and upward from there. Thanks for the inspiration Mike!

The winner of the Butterfly, Dragonfly and Small Bug contest is Mike Shane.I found Mike's image of an ant carrying a leaf cutting with an ant riding along on the cutting a very interesting ...

15/06/2022

It's Nature Photography Day!
This is a Long-legged Fly captured at night in a Costa Rican rainforest. It's spectacular metallic colors make it look like flying jewelry.
Take time to enjoy the nature around you today!
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Nikon D850
Tamron SP 90mm VC
Nikon SB-700 flash with AK Diffuser
Handheld
ISO 500, 1/100 sec, f18.0
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13/11/2021

Costa Rica has four species of monkeys and I was fortunate to see and capture all four in a single day on the Osa Pennesula back in July. Thanks to Dennis Valverde for his expertise guidance in finding all these species in a single day! In order of appearance they are:
Panamanian White-faced Capuchin Monkey (most attitude)
Mantled Howler Monkey (largest of these four)
Central American Spider Monkey (prehensile tail; acts like a 5th hand)
Central American Squirrel Monkey (the smallest and arguably the cutest)
Enjoy!
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Nikon D500
Sigma Sport 150-600 mm
Handheld
ISO 900-4000, 1/250-500 sec, f6.0-8.0
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16/10/2021

Here are a few images of tree frogs I captured while on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. The red-eyed tree frogs images were captured at night in the rainforest with the help of Dennis Valverde
A unique feature of tree frogs is that they do not have webbing between their toes.
Enjoy!

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Nikon D850
Tamron SP90 mm VC
NiSi 77mm close-up lens
Nikon SB-700 flash with AK diffuser
Handheld
ISO 400-800, 1/160-1/320, f13-20
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10/09/2021

We got some rare monsoonal weather in San Diego this evening that included an amazing lightning show. This image was captured from Mt Helix.
Enjoy!
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Nikon D850
Tamron SP 24-70mm G2 at 62mm
ISO800, 15sec, f16
Dolica tripod & cable release
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04/09/2021

This is a North Central American scarlet macaw foraging in the rain on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. It is carrying the fruit from a nearby palm tree. I was there in July this year and it was an amazing adventure made possible by an awesome guide Dennis Valverde
This is the first of many images that I'll be posting.
Enjoy!
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Nikon D500
Sigma Sport 150-600mm at 320mm
Dolica tripod
ISO 4000, 1/2000 sec, f6.3
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