Javier Aznar Photography

Javier Aznar Photography Official page of the wildlife and conservation photographer Javier Aznar.
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National Geographic contributor photographer | Sony Alpha Ambassador | Thephotosociety | National Geographic Collection

www.javieraznarphotography.com

29/08/2026

The leaf trick, masters of camouflage

The previous years I spent some time with this little family of European Little Owls (Athene noctua) in Castilla-La Manc...
26/08/2026

The previous years I spent some time with this little family of European Little Owls (Athene noctua) in Castilla-La Mancha, and honestly, I could have stayed there all day.

They’re tiny, but don’t let the size fool you. Little Owls are active predators, feeding on insects, small mammals, reptiles and occasionally small birds. They’re also one of those owls you can sometimes spot during the day, especially around sunrise and sunset.

Photographing a whole family was something really special. Every individual had its own little personality, and I found myself spending much more time just watching them than actually taking photos.

Sony cameras and sony telephoto lenses

BirdsOfSpain CastillaLaMancha SpanishWildlif

Fungus (Laternea pusilla)At first, I honestly thought this was some kind of fruit.Then I got closer… and realized it was...
25/08/2026

Fungus (Laternea pusilla)

At first, I honestly thought this was some kind of fruit.

Then I got closer… and realized it was a fungus growing directly from a palm tree.

I’ve seen plenty of strange fungi in the forest, but this one really caught me off guard. It looked almost too weird to be real.

One of the things I love about tropical forests: you can walk past something completely ordinary, take a closer look, and suddenly discover something completely unexpected.

📷 Gear: Sony α1 + Sony 100mm F2.8 GM Macro

NaturePhotograp

Some snapshots 17 pro max Sometimes I don’t have my camera with me. Maybe it’s raining, maybe I’m just out for a walk,...
24/08/2026

Some snapshots 17 pro max

Sometimes I don’t have my camera with me. Maybe it’s raining, maybe I’m just out for a walk, or maybe I simply don’t want to carry all the gear.

And that’s when my phone comes in handy. It’s always there, and when something catches my eye, it’s more than capable of capturing the moment.

It’s not about replacing my camera. It’s about making sure I don’t miss the moments when I don’t have it with me.

Crested Owls, Lophostrix cristata, resting in the forest canopy.The Crested Owl is a strictly nocturnal species found in...
22/08/2026

Crested Owls, Lophostrix cristata, resting in the forest canopy.

The Crested Owl is a strictly nocturnal species found in humid forests from southern Mexico through Central America and across much of northern and western South America. It is the only species in the genus Lophostrix and is easily recognized by its remarkably long, pale ear tufts and distinctive facial markings.

During the day, Crested Owls usually remain concealed in dense vegetation, often roosting in pairs. They become active after dark, feeding mainly on large insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and cockroaches, although small vertebrates can also form part of their diet.

Despite its wide distribution, surprisingly little is known about the species’ behaviour and reproductive biology. It is thought to nest in natural cavities in mature trees, but many details of its breeding ecology remain poorly documented.

Let’s play a game. 👀How many animals can you find hiding in these photos?Look carefully. Some are sitting on rocks. Othe...
21/08/2026

Let’s play a game. 👀

How many animals can you find hiding in these photos?

Look carefully. Some are sitting on rocks. Others are almost indistinguishable from lichen, sand, dried vegetation or the desert floor. And a few are hiding in plain sight.

Camouflage is much more than simply “having the right colour”. Animals can use background matching, disruptive patterns, body shape, texture, posture — and even behaviour to make themselves harder to detect.

The lichen mantises and lichen grasshoppers in this series are masters of blending into their surroundings. Some mantises even use camouflage not only to avoid predators, but to disappear from the view of their own prey before striking.

Then there are the horned lizards (Phrynosoma). Their flattened bodies, cryptic colours and patterns help them disappear against the desert substrate. Some species take this even further: Phrynosoma modestum can resemble a small stone so convincingly that researchers have experimentally shown that lizards placed among similarly sized rocks are harder to detect. (OUP Academic)

And camouflage isn’t always just about colour. Body shape and posture can reduce shadows and break up the outline of an animal — particularly important when you’re trying not to look like an animal at all.

Somewhere in these images there are mantises, grasshoppers, horned lizards, a Crotalus pyrrhus and a few other masters of disguise.

So… how many did you spot?

👇 Tell me the number in the comments — and tag someone who thinks they have an unbeatable eye for camouflage.

And whatever you do, don’t swipe too quickly. You might miss one.

AnimalBehavior Evolution Adaptation CrypticColoration NaturePhotography Herpetology Entomology DesertWildlife Mantis Grasshopper HornedLizard Crotalus CaliforniaWildlife ArizonaWildlife HiddenInPlainSight

How can something so alive disappear into something as ordinary as a dead leaf?Across the world, insects and other arthr...
20/08/2026

How can something so alive disappear into something as ordinary as a dead leaf?

Across the world, insects and other arthropods have evolved extraordinary forms of camouflage that make them almost indistinguishable from the vegetation around them. The shape, colour, patterns and even the way they behave can all become part of the disguise.

For a predator searching for movement or a recognisable body shape, looking like a piece of dead vegetation can mean simply going unnoticed.

And sometimes, the camouflage goes far beyond colour. Some species imitate the exact shape of a leaf, including veins, irregular edges, damage and even the appearance of decay. In some cases, their behaviour completes the illusion, as they choose where to rest and remain remarkably still.

This is one of the things I find most fascinating about evolution. These animals are not simply hiding. Over generations, natural selection has shaped them to become part of the environment itself.

A reminder that, in nature, sometimes the best way to survive is not to run or fight, but to become almost impossible to see.

Leaf mimicry is one of nature’s most remarkable forms of camouflage. 🍂

Happy World Photography Day!!
19/08/2026

Happy World Photography Day!!

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