I was first introduced to nature in Singapore when I signed in as a member to the NSS in 1988. Like most citified folks I had not seen what nature lovers were always clamouring about. The first outing was a nocturnal trek to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. That night it was invertebrates galore - centipedes, crickets, long-horn grasshoppers, fungus beetles, tree hoppers and stick insects. I was delirious! I had not seen so much in short time. I thought to myself, well if there is so much to know about the life beyond my work and home, why is it then that I know so little. As I reflected further, I saw that perhaps I might be able to bring the wilderness to the others who may not have the chance to view for themselves.
I slowly saw there is more than meets the eye. I saw the magic in still photography. I read
photographic magazines and kept files on different topics. Naturally glamour photography in studio conditions was particularly appealing. But reality sunk in for I was in a different league and besides that, it is a full-time career. It was the restless spirit in me that when I was in for a year attachment in Los Angeles I looked at their extra-curricular activities and signed up a course conducted by photographers who had worked for National Geography. It was paradoxical as I thought I learnt more about philosophy than technique. I also attended talks and seminars from the world renowned photographers and again found that knowing why you do it makes you learn how to do it.
Knowing how to do it does that mean you will do it."Nature in Singapore - Ours to Protect (OTP)" became a reality in 1993 despite the little I knew about nature. The networking with the experts and scientists was of great help. I loved talking about their work. They were generous with their dissemination of knowledge and they never made me feel intellectually inferior despite my obvious lack of understanding. Besides the medical library, I was also visited the Science library. Soon I also accumulated books and journals in natural history. Following the successful launch of the book, I was then invited to look at Sabah can offer for the wildlife experience. I never managed to extricate myself from its lure of Kadazan country.
The rainforest in Sabah is certainly more extensive and much more travelling was needed. After all that sweat, taking photographs can be a problem as you spectacles tend to fog up. The heat saps your energy. Fatigue prevents you thinking. I once saw a porcupine pass but I did not even have the energy to open the camera bag. Most of the photography was done early morning or evening and night. Afternoons were meant for sleep. Nocturnal rambles in the forest are not for the faint-hearted. Rain is often a dampener for any work to be done and rainforest are so called not for nothing. I still am quite squeamish about leeches and I will remember the one that crossed my spectacles. As I was often behind, the leeches are always ready for me as they had been activated by my guides in front. At the long houses mosquitoes can be a problem. Tired, I was practically helpless against their marauding attacks. Once I awoke with more than 100 bites and I initially thought I had measles! Fortunately we were not in malarial zone.
Sandflies are a major problem in riverine areas and by the shore. In Sipadan we ventured along the shore and into the forests one night and we itched terribly after. These insects are so tiny and are barely noticeable and they give such nasty bites, preferring to attack near the groin. My group travelled to Tabin, a Forest Reserve where the Sumatran Rhinocerous were known to exist. I had high hopes only to be told by a ranger that in all his years there he had never seen a rhino! Our glee instantly evaporated.
And we were moving at 3am in the jungle without protection! In elephant territory! How naïve can we be. The next day the ranger supplied us with thunder flashes. I remembered we once saw a mass of undergrowth moved and low and behold it was a juvenile elephant emerging less than 10 metres away. I had to bang on the side panel in our jeep to alert the driver to move away, fast. Its mother was emerging as well and appeared menacing. Certainly this is no Africa where there are open plains and elephants can be seen miles away.
Some of the plants were located on steep slopes and changing camera gear requires some skill. We had occasions when lenses had to be retrieved from ravines. In the montane forests, one must avoid being soaked wet.
The chills can become unbearable. Less nimble than the villagers, time taken to travel between distances is often multiplied as we are often bogged down by our provisions and camera gear. Once we underestimated our time and we were still stuck in the forest at 7.00pm (total darkness) and there were 3 more hours to go. Our main torch-lights were in the main packs, somewhere else. I had forgotten to place mine in the camera bag. Fortunately my other photographer had a tiny torch-light. The importance of the discipline of checking one's gear to care for all possibilities is not to be underestimated. And even with guides we got lost! (actually the guides got lost).
We travelled across logged mountains where landslides were common and it is not uncommon to see gravel blocking ones path and reversing the vehicles in those winding narrow paths can be a unnerving experience. Fortunately there were vehicles constantly on the move to clear the debris. We even stayed in a dwelling in the forest and it was popularly known to be haunted but the people who knew certainly did not think it wise to tell us anyway. (If only you can imagine what we went through in the middle of the night).Our 4WD was once stuck in the mud in a very isolated area and no amount of heaving and pushing helped. Light was slowly
disappearing and we were too far from civilisation! After a while a truck came by and with some cables managed to get us out of the dilemma. Before the truck driver left, he told us he only pass that area once a week! I need not ask usually at what time he usually did that (anyway he said he usually pass there in the morning!). We were just thankful to be able to get out of there. Nature photography allows one to immortalise the beauty of nature. It requires one to be excited about all forms of life. You also need luck but most importantly one must be passionate about the hobby. Courage comes naturally when one is passionate. But safety must never be compromised. Prayers can be a powerful partner when venturing into uncharted territory and do pray for the guardian angels to protect you.