Episode 20 - The Aracaris and Toucans Who Bookend My Days in Costa Rica

Episode 26 - The Sound of the Costa Rican Jungle Teaching Me to Be Quiet

This episode is about something I never expected when I first came here… The sound of the jungle itself became my greatest teacher. Every single day starts the same way. The howler monkeys begin their deep, rumbling chorus right at dawn, shaking the whole mountain like they’re personally responsible for turning the night into day. By the time the sky turns pink, the toucans and aracaris take over with their loud, raspy chatter, announcing breakfast like it’s the most important news of the morning. Throughout the day the cicadas fill every gap with their nonstop, rhythmic hum. From sunrise to sunset sometimes without a single pause. And at dusk the howlers come back, their voices echoing across the valley as the light fades. Then, after dinner, when I sit at my table with the lights low, the night creatures take the stage. Frogs, insects and all the unseen things crashing through the leaves just beyond the railing. For the first few weeks I was still carrying the wedding photographer brain… Always planning the next shot, always thinking about the next deadline. But the jungle wouldn’t let me. It kept pouring sound into the space until I finally stopped trying to control it and just listened. This has completely changed how I work as a photographer. I used to chase the perfect light and the perfect pose. Now I spend more time listening than shooting. The howlers tell me when to get up. The cicadas remind me to slow down. The night rustling teaches me that the most beautiful things often happen when I turn off the flashlight and let the dark show me what it wants me to see. The jungle didn’t hand me a new identity. It simply turned down the volume on everything I used to think was so important and turned up the volume on everything that actually is. One Frame, One Truth:Sometimes the most powerful lesson isn’t in what you see through the lens. It’s in what you hear when you finally get quiet enough to listen. Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

Episode 25 - The Last Hurrah of the Aracaris at Dusk in Costa Rica

As the sun slips behind the mountains and the jungle begins its slow, beautiful handover from day to night… This episode is about that magical window at dusk. When the toucans and aracaris are saying their loud, raspy goodnights and the night creatures are just starting to wake up. A few evenings ago I was sitting on the deck when I heard a sudden commotion in the tallest tree right behind the house. I stepped outside and looked up. At first I saw just a few collared aracaris hopping along a giant branch, chattering away, interacting like they were catching up after a long day. Then more arrived. Then more. Within minutes there were maybe fifteen or twenty of them. A whole lively flock silhouetted against the fading sky. It was one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever watched. One aracari seemed to be telling the whole group a story with exaggerated head bobs and loud calls, while a few others had clearly started their own side conversations, hopping to different parts of the branch and ignoring the “main speaker.” Some were preening and a couple were just lounging like they were exhausted from the day’s adventures. It felt like a family reunion where everyone was talking at once, laughing, teasing, and soaking up the last bit of daylight together. This was pure photographer magic. The light was dropping fast, everything was in silhouette and they were constantly moving. I grabbed my camera, zoomed in and tried to capture the energy. The way their beaks caught the last rays of sun, the constant motion of the flock, the feeling of a lively gathering happening right above my “backyard.” I knew I wouldn’t get perfectly lit portraits in that low light, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to capture the pure joy of that moment. Then, as quickly as they arrived, the whole group lifted off in a burst of wings and disappeared into the reserve to their sleeping spots deep in the jungle. The tree went quiet. The night insects started their chorus and the transition was complete. Dusk here is this beautiful in between time. The day birds are wrapping up their stories, the night creatures are just beginning theirs and for a few minutes the jungle feels like it’s holding its breath before the next act. Watching those aracaris have their last hurrah reminded me how important it is to savor the endings… To gather, to chatter, to connect and then to let go and trust that tomorrow will bring its own unique and truly special magic. One Frame, One Goodbye: Sometimes the most beautiful moments happen right before everything changes. When a group comes together for one last loud, joyful gathering before flying off into the night. Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

Episode 24 - The Hidden Orchids of a Costa Rican Mountain River

Hiking up a mountain river in Costa Rica where the water tumbles over boulders and every bend feels like a secret waiting to be discovered… Today’s story is about the wild orchids. Those delicate, resilient jewels that grow on trees and rocks all over the jungle if you’re willing to slow down and really look. A few mornings ago I decided to skip the main trail and walk the river instead. Most people don’t bother. The rocks are slippery, the water is cold and it’s easier to stay on the wide path. But I love it. The river is filled with pools, boulders and pockets of green that most hikers never see. I was picking my way over wet stones, camera in one hand, when I looked up and there it was… A tiny orchid blooming right out of a tree trunk, its petals glowing like they’d been painted by the jungle itself. I stopped, crouched low on a rock and just stared. The orchid was growing straight out of the bark, no soil, no fuss. Just pure determination. These wild orchids are incredible survivors. They don’t need rich dirt. They pull what they need from the air, the rain and the tiny bits of debris that collect in the crevices of trees. Some are so small you could miss them with every step, yet they bloom with colors that stop you cold. The longer I stayed, the more I noticed. Another orchid tucked behind a waterfall mist. A Jesus lizard sunbathing on a sun warmed boulder, looking like a tiny dinosaur that decided to take a nap. Iridescent bugs flashing blue and green as they darted between rocks. Every few feet the river rewarded me with something new. Flash of color, a tiny movement, a moment that felt like the jungle was saying, “You looked. Good for you.” As a photographer these river walks are both a challenge and a gift. The light bounces off the water in unpredictable ways, the rocks are slippery and you’re balancing while trying to frame something delicate that could disappear with one breeze. But when you get the shot… the orchid glowing against dark wet bark, the lizard perfectly still… t feels like the jungle handed you a private postcard. These wild orchids have become my favorite symbol of resilience here. They don’t ask for perfect conditions. They don’t wait for someone to plant them. They just show up, attach themselves to whatever is available and bloom anyway. Watching them reminded me how much we can learn from that quiet strength. How to root ourselves in whatever ground we’re given and still find a way to open up and shine. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOObtNfEWOi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

Episode 23 - The Night the Costa Rican Jungle Turned Off My Flashlight

This episode is about the night I turned off my flashlight and let the dark show me what it wanted me to see. It started with the headlight beetle glowing in complete darkness, two tiny lights moving in sync like miniature headlights on a fallen log. Then came the kinkajou crashing through the palm tree right after dinner, long tail curling through the branches while it ate fruit under the stars. The night bird hovering low over the path, its eyes catching the beam like tiny glowing moons. And all the unseen things crashing through the leaves just beyond the railing… branches snapping, leaves rustling, the jungle alive in ways I could only hear. For the first few nights I kept my flashlight on high alert, trying to control what I saw. But the more I did that, the more I missed. The moment I finally turned it off, everything changed. The headlight beetle’s glow became brighter. The kinkajou’s silhouette appeared against the dark canopy. The night bird’s call felt closer. The jungle wasn’t hiding anymore. It was revealing itself on its own terms. As a photographer this has been one of the hardest and most rewarding shifts. Night macro in the jungle is already tricky. Unsteady hands, creatures that disappear in a second. But learning to trust the dark, to wait for the natural glow instead of forcing the light, has changed how I see everything. The jungle keeps teaching me that some of the most beautiful things only appear when we stop trying to illuminate them ourselves. One Frame, One Truth: Sometimes the brightest light comes when we finally turn off our own… When we trust the wild to show us what it wants us to see. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRYX-X6kaSs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

Episode 22 - The Night Bird That Sings to the Stars in Costa Rica

This episode is about the night bird… that incredible, unique sounding creature that I’ve come to think of as the jungle’s own lullaby singer. You almost always see them at night, hovering low over the ground or resting right on the path, their eyes catching the beam of your headlight like tiny glowing moons. A few nights ago I heard it. A soft, haunting call that cut through the darkness and made me stop mid step. Then I saw the flash of movement… A bird hovering just above the ground, wings beating in that silent, moth like way, before it settled back down on the path like it owned the night. I stood there for a long time, completely still, listening to that call repeat and watching the way it moved with such quiet confidence in the dark. Photographing night birds is its own kind of magic and challenge. The light is low, the bird can disappear in a second and you’re balancing on uneven ground trying to capture the silhouette against the black jungle backdrop. But when the moment lines up, the glow of its eyes, the soft shape of its wings, the way it hovers like it’s dancing with the dark, it feels like the jungle is sharing one of its most private performances. These night birds are masters of the after dark world here in Costa Rica. They rest on the ground during the day, perfectly camouflaged and come alive at night, flying low and calling out with that distinctive, almost mournful song that echoes through the trees. Their eyes reflect light like headlights and their silent flight makes them feel like ghosts of the jungle. Standing there in the dark, listening to that call and watching the bird hover, I feel a deep sense of peace. In a world that’s so loud during the day, the night bird reminds me that some of the most beautiful things happen when everything else goes quiet. It doesn’t need an audience or bright light, it just sings because that’s what it was made to do. One Frame, One Truth: Sometimes the most powerful voices are the ones that only come out when the world is dark and still… Inviting us to slow down, listen and remember that beauty often waits for the quiet moments. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYcvuOYR3CF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida