Wildlife Photography across the Water: From the Archives-Sumatra

Friday 6 February 2009

From the Archives-Sumatra

There is nothing like going through old images to bring back memories, I am in the process of having a new website built so am going through all my images to see what's good enough to show the world, In 2000 my wife and i travelled around South East Asia as backpacking photographers, Our aim was to photograph Endangered wildlife whilst they are still around, We managed to get some good stuff from Orangutans to Rhino,Elephant and Tiger to name but a few, We did this backpacker style to keep the costs down and allow use to travel to India,Thailand,Singapore,Malaysia and Sumatra-Not bad on a very small budget, Sumatra was an unknown for us-very little documented but if you dont go you wont know so we jumped on a boat in Peneng Malaysia and headed over,

We loved it soo much that we ended up going back 3 times spending just over a month there in total, We stayed in Gunung Lesser National Park and each day walked into the Jungle to a feeding platform and hoped that Orangutans would show up-they did everyday and we also viewed White handed Gibbon and leaf monkeys, A truly fantastic place that still seems to be hidden in the backpackers books and not a tourist destinantion like Borneo, Being a backpackers destinantion means that accomadation is cheap but basic-just enough of what you need and no more, Photography wise you do not need huge lenses-300mm will get full head hots if you hang around the rehab centre there as orangs come and go as they please, 2 things i would recommend-1 is a flashgun as orangutans faces are very dark and few images taken without one will work as the eyes will be lost in the dark face,

I would use AV mode and set you flash to around -1.5 so its just enough to lighten the face and thats all, You are in a tropical rainforest so it will rain-A LOT, so protect your kit,Its not just the rain as the humidity is very high, I washed some underware and hung it outside and a week later it was still wet!!! So also protect your self not just from the mozzies but the dampness-medicated talc and caniston cream keep ring worm at bay-i know this from experience, Sumatra is a very very cheap place to visit and one place thats at the top of my places to go back to-around june-august is best

Dave

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Bio's

David Courtenay, a self taught wildlife and nature photographer, has been capturing images for over 30 years. He has had a passion for wildlife since early childhood and remembers being glued to the television whenever Survival, Wildlife on One and other natural history documentaries were shown. In the 2006 he swapped his established career for the life of a wildlife photographer, such a move demands a measure of uncompromising passion and commitment.

David has travelled extensively throughout Europe as well as spending more than 7 months in India working with local guides and trackers in search of Bengal Tiger, Asian One horned Rhino and Asian Elephant. He has also photographed Wildlife in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, Africa, Canada and America. Working closely with Conservation companies he tries to raise funds to help Wildlife that has been put on the endangered list by poaching and habitation loss

Martin Dyer has had a passion for avian wildlife since childhood, particularly raptors. Photography was also another keen interest and it was with the specific availability and control of the whole process that digital offers that Martin was then able to combine the two in 2003. Based in the UK, Martin is a regular visitor to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Mull to watch the Eagles resident there. Other trips to Europe and around the UK are usually part of Martin’s agenda in a typical year.

However, as a firm believer on making the most of the local patch, Martin has spent a lot of time and hard work creating a wildlife garden which is reaping the rewards with many new species and varieties of wildlife. A keen member of a number of wildlife photographic groups, Martin is keen to expand his portfolio into other areas of wildlife, and has already established a wide portfolio of images of fungi.