Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
The new life.

Amboli bush frog (Pseudophilautus amboli) was a unique challenge that tested my patience and precision as a photographer. This frog species has an extraordinary life cycle, with their entire transformation—from egg to froglet—occurring within the egg itself, eliminating the free-swimming tadpole stage. Observing their eggs, laid carefully on mossy tree trunks about 5 to 6 feet off the ground, was both a privilege and a test of my skills, as they are remarkably tiny and difficult to spot. I captured this in the lush yet highly disturbed forest edges near Amboli in Maharashtra, India, a region where their presence is rare and potentially threatened. This experience was a reminder of the wonders and challenges in documenting nature’s most subtle, yet profound, transformations.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2024
Photo Location: Amboli Ghat, India
Camera: Canon EOS 550D
Copyright: © Bhavya Joshi