Dos Amigos
Boca Tapada
The first time I visited northern Costa Rica, any attempts at photographing king vultures had to be carried out in complete silence, in a blind behind one-way glass. The birds were so skittish that even a sneeze from the dust in the air was enough to frighten them off. Compare that to the present, and it's hard to believe the how things have changed for the better. The one-way glass is gone, the blinds are more suggestions of where to set up than requirements, and if you're so inclined, you can walk right up to the vultures as they're hanging out in their field. I spent most of my time shooting this way, sitting on the ground and hand-holding, and doing my best to dodge the frequent photobombs from the gallinazos, or black vultures, that like to come to the same spot.
From where I was sitting, these two adult king vultures paused at the right spot to stand one in front of the other, and as the sun had gone behind a small cloud bank, I got the advantage of having diffuse light. It's one thing to see these birds from a distance, but up close, a vulture the size of a Labrador is a true sight to behold.