AJ Baxter is a name that is coming up more frequently in my research. After landing on his Picture Belize photo blog recently  I decided to write him and see if he would be interested in pulling a few of his favorite pictures for a tacogirl top ten post.

Top 10 Belize Images – Focus on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

The following images were captured by AJ Baxter, an amateur photographer and frequent visitor to Belize. His selection of images for inclusion in the Top Ten was based on displaying the variety of color to be found in San Pedro during 2010. He publishes an image blog called Picture Belize where he displays the visual beauty of Belize.

Image Ajbaxter-1: No Parking: One can only assume that this sign was not intended for bikes! Another possible interpretation is that cyclists do not like beer, cannot read or are so rich that a $25 ticket is no big deal.

Image Ajbaxter-2: Water Taxi Baggage: The colors and lines in this urban beach scene caught my compositional eye as did the rich detail. Moments later the scene was crowded with passengers seeking to retrieve their bags and continue on their journeys.
Image Ajbaxter-3: Guardians of the Dock: Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls – What coastline is complete without at least a couple of 100 of these fine birds? I think as I was looking up at these birds they were sizing me up and thinking about their next meal. There is always a competition between these birds for any scrapes from the fishermen on the docks.

Image ajbaxter-4: Mid-Morning Tranquility: A Snowy Egret looking for a fresh fish breakfast in the calm waters of the Caribbean Sea. One of my favourite images – the lighting was perfect!

Image ajbaxter-5: Under the Palms: Along the beach in San Pedro, the palm trees provide shelter from the mid-day sun and each tree becomes a unique back-drop for a moment of rest.

Image ajbaxter-6: Family Stroll: A magical composition captured as the sun is beginning to set and cast long shadows. The resulting side-light provided the defining glow for this family grouping.

Image ajbaxter-7: Middle Street Fruit Stand: The back-drop of light blue paint and white wood trim were perfect for this urban landscape. I just had to wait until there was a lull in golf cart traffic, a lack of pedestrians, and a cloudy day to capture this one!

Image ajbaxter-8: Downtown San Pedro: Central Park, San Pedro as viewed from the Caribbean Sea while returning from a snorkel & sailing trip to Caye Cauker. The palette of blues was offset nicely with the contrast of distant clouds.

Image ajbaxter-9: Flower for the Wife: It takes a lot of skill to be a wildlife photographer. Sometimes the wildlife co-operates and even poses momentarily (until they realize that you see them! ).

Image ajbaxter-10: School Yard Mural: Children painting a mural on the school yard wall in downtown San Pedro.