Who let the frogs out? Tiny amphibians dazzle in a ribbiting display of colour

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 5:15 PM on 10th May 2011

A British photographer has spawned a dazzling collection of photos capturing her favourite creature - the humble frog.
Photographer and reptile enthusiast Angi Nelson began taking pictures of frogs from her own collection after a diagnosis with the debilitating disease ME left her housebound.
Angi, 42, has turned her living room into an amphibi-theatre where the frogs perform their unique form of acrobatics for the camera. The result is a ribbiting gymnastic performance where the scaly creatures hide out in petals, peer out of buckets and dangle precariously from the tiniest of branches.

Small is beautiful: This amazing pic is likely to make other photographers green with envy

Splits decision: This little fella is amazingly supple

Eye eye: A Peacock Frog hides in a rose petal

Up, close and personal: Tree frogs can easily cling to vertical branches

Unable to explore the outside world for subjects, the formerly active Angi needed an outlet for her creative urges and instead used the tiny creatures as models.

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During a shoot, she spends hours painstakingly setting up the lighting and props for the frogs before placing them in front of the lens. She then takes the photos as quickly as possible to avoid distressing her amphibious friends.
Former nurse Angi, 42, from Bristol, said: ‘When I first got ME four years ago I was completely bed-bound, but as I slowly recovered I was able to do a bit more and was desperately looking for a hobby I could do about the house.
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Hello, petal: This tiny frog clings on to a bright pink flower with his amazing orange feet

Feeling clingy: It looks a bit precarious, but judging by the smile on this little critter's face, it's actually all fun and games

Angi Nelson gave this frog a petal to hide in, and he certainly grasped the concept she was after

Flower power: Angi gave this frog a petal to hide in, and he certainly grasped the concept she was after

These Amazon milk frogs team up for another cute photo moment

‘I already loved keeping pets and as my partner owns a reptile shop I started photographing the animals as they came in and it all started from there.
‘With ME, it tends to wax and wane. What you are able to do one day you might not be able to do the next so I try to put all my energy into a shoot and just suffer the consequences later.
‘It takes my mind off whatever is making me feel ill and it's helped me no end.’
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Looks like Ms Nelson forgot to turn on the anti-red-eye function on her camera for this one

This tree frog likes nothing better than hanging around

King of the swingers: The tree frog poses on some plant stems

When it comes to posing in buckets, this milk frog has got it sussed

Angi has kept reptiles for the past eight years and is a fan of all things scaly and fork-tongued. However, it is the frogs which retain a special place in her heart as their willingness to pose for the lens is always apparent.
Amazingly, self-taught Angi had never picked up a camera before her illness and learnt all of her dazzling techniques online or from amateur textbooks.
She said: ‘I thoroughly enjoy working with frogs and I just love everything about them from their amazing colours to their interesting behaviour.

Feeling blue: A pair of milk frogs, which in the wild can be found in the Amazon Rainforest

Branching out: The red-eyed tree frog has sticky pads on its feet to stop it falling off

The Frog-father: A red-eyed tree frog appears sinister sitting in a throne

A red-eyed tree frog walks along the edge of an upturned piece of glass

‘My partner owns two reptile shops and at home we have three species of frogs. They need a lot of care and you need to keep them spotlessly clean in order to keep them healthy.
‘Quite often when we get a new order of frogs in at one of the shops I will take them home to quarantine them and make sure they are healthy before we sell them on.
‘I run a workshop for other photographers who want to photograph reptiles and I'm careful to remind them that the frogs cannot be left out too long because they get very distressed.
‘I spend a long time setting up the lighting and the sets and then only when everything is ready do I place the frog in the scene and take the pictures. How they pose or what they do is up to them.’