Night in the Jungle

[Nancy Bell]

I am back from a fabulous trip to Borneo, where I really learned what hot and humid means while walking in the depths of an equatorial rain forest! We did many night walks/rides and this is an adorable Western Tarsier. They are small nocturnal critters that are the only survivors of an ancient primate family. They are endangered and we were beyond thrilled to see one. We could not use flash and were very judicious in shining a spot light on it. I used Topaz Impressions, my own preset, to represent how I felt prowling through the dark & rampant undergrowth with just bits of shifting light from our head lamps, creating an ever changing and moving landscape of greens and browns and leaves and branches, and things I don't even want to know about!

[Kerry Perkins]

How wonderful to have this experience! I think your image conveys the feeling very well. It really is magical, from the capture to the processing. You are right about not wanting to know what's out there! :eek3:

[Wendy Kates]

Nancy, this is a beautiful and emotionally evocative image. Very well processed, and the critter is adorable! He looks a little startled...do you know if that is typical "look" or in response to the humans he is encountering?

[Anita Bower]

Excellent job at conveying the feeling of the night walk in the jungle. The original image is outstanding--great composition. Love the processing. Wow! The colors are fantastic. Outstanding job. All those bursts of color in lines (I'm not describing this very well) give it a feeling of things just glimpsed, surrounded by darkness.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Love those eyes, and the hands and feet. The processing gives it a great sense of being a furtive, nocturnal mammal. I have never even heard of this critter, it must have been a real thrill.

[Nancy Bell]

Thank you everyone! Wendy, this is their "normal" look. Their eyes are like those of owls; very large to gather what little light is available at night. They also can turn their heads almost 180 degrees in each direction, like owls. I did some research (I didn't know much about them either) and they are strict carnivores and eat only live caught prey. They have massive lance-like upper incisors and grab moths, grasshoppers, beetles, frogs and lizards, small sleeping birds, etc. to munch on. Darling little demons :Whoa!: !

[William Dickson]

That is beautiful Nancy :S3: Thanks for sharing

Will

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Nancy, he looked adorable until I read your description of his eating habits:S3: Actually, he reminds me of Yoda. Your processing is gorgeous and very appropriate for your encounter. I'm glad you had what looks like a remarkable trip!

[Diane Miller]

Just absolutely perfect processing for this amazing little creature! Excellent all around!

[Paul Lagasi]

When seeing images like this, I wished I'd have been into world birds more, after being in all the states, provinces and territories looking for birds. I hope to go to that region of the world some day.
Lovely work with the Tarsier image, a great find. How many birds did you get on this trip?, must be a few beauty's. My favorite has always been the Hornbill...someday. Nice artsy image, Well Done

[Nancy Bell]

Thank you so much, everyone! Paul, I added 49 new bird species to my world list. It wasn't a birding trip and I found it difficult to let birds fly by while I was photographing the primates. But I did see many of the hornbills (very cool!) and the Bornean Bristlehead, a new family!