THIS frog looks like it鈥檚 got something to say.
The strawberry poison-dart frog is native to Central America and the species varies widely in colour, from bright red all over to splashes of blue on its limbs 鈥� giving it the nickname blue jeans frog.
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Cristobal Serrano has been photographing these creatures for years, but this one, spotted in the humid lowlands of a forest near the city of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqu铆 in Costa Rica, was special. The frog (Oophaga pumilio) had particularly well-defined blue trousers and sleeves and was perched in a Venus wine cup fungus. Its proud stance and outspread arm looked to Serrano like a speaker addressing a crowd, making an oratorical gesture.
To illuminate the scene, Serrano carefully set up three flashes: one backlight, one from the right and a spotlight just the right size for the frog. 鈥淚n macro photography, you need to control the flashes very well,鈥� he says.
He named the photo The Speaker to reference both the theatrical amphibian and the fungus cups, which look like audio speakers.
The photo won a string of awards, including France鈥檚 Nature Images Award, and the Memorial Maria Luisa contest and LUX award, both in Spain. Serrano attributes his success to the image鈥檚 lighting and composition 鈥� as well as the popularity of the animal under his spotlight. 鈥淭his frog is the most iconic of the poison-dart frogs,鈥� he says.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淔orever in blue jeans鈥�
