Pacific Tree Frogs; Home Page

This has become a passion — finding & photographing the small adorable Pacific Tree Frogs who live in our gardens.  I look to find them in new and different blooms and positions.

A year ago I said I wouldn’t pursue any more frog pictures because “I had taken them all”.  But now, with the advent of a new Summer we have more little frogs than ever and I’m finding them in new flowers and settings.  Please enjoy them by clicking on the sub-menu (in the header above) of this page or click here.   The images are all for sale.

I need to say a little about this wonderful frog living with us…  Per Wikipedia… The Pacific Tree Frog has 3 sub species : the Northern pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla regilla), the Sierran tree frog (Pseudacris regilla sierra), and the Baja California tree frog (Pseudacris regilla hypochondria).  Ours is the Northern variety.

Although they are called Tree Frogs, they prefer to live on the ground.  They like to live in moist areas close to springs and ponds.  Ours are found in the frequently watered gardens close to the house which is about 250 feet from the near edge of a large wetland where they’re born.  The female frog lays the eggs (in the water) sometime between late winter and early spring.  She abandons the eggs and they eggs hatch 3 to 7 days after fertilization. It then takes 70 to 90 days for the tadpole to develop into a true frog.  I see life spans listed to be from 2 to 6 years so I assume they hibernate through the colder winter months.  We’ve not found any in hibernation.   Here is a link to an Oregon Fish & Wildlife fact sheet.  I hope you enjoy the little ones as we do.

A little background on getting acceptable photo captures (perfect focus is essential) of the frogs or any critters…  I think it’s imperative to use a macro lens so to focus up close and sharp.  Your depth-of-field is often less than a half inch so you have to focus spot-on to your preferred point (for me most usually the frog’s eyes).  The possibility for the frog to move is very high and a breeze can make your host plant move so your camera speed has to be fast enough to keep tack sharpness.  It’s a tricky, but fun, challenge.

Someone made the observation “we must have a very kind and gentle environment to attract so many frogs”.  That’s probably true — thanks to my wonderful wife, a masterful gardener.

Click here for a short-cut to the “Frog Photograph” page