Stories
The Essence Of Wildlife Photography – Part II
To continue with the main topic here, The Essence of Wildlife Photography – Part I around Rainforest Expedition lodges in Peru rainforest.
Finally, the moment which most impressed me… not witnessed, but recorded remotely, the first-ever glimpse of intertwined lives and the hint of the interactions going on all around us but concealed; a vampire bat on the heels of a white lipped peccary, a bloodlust quenched out of sight of the cameras, left to the imagination.
These photos are not simply images or moments captured in time, but fully-fledged experiences; rich, layered memories evoking torrential downpours, passing rainstorms, and sun-drenched days aboard canoes, meandering the sinuous curves of coffee-colored waters. They are discoveries made alone in the night, or else shared with guides or parties to new friends sharing in the adventure. They bespeak of a kind of post-Victorian adventurism, open to all: researchers, adventurists, citizen scientists, and even those with but a few moments to spare but the desire to learn and partake in the experience.
Other photos are a different kind of hard work…
They are the attempt to illustrate a specific behavior, to teach, and to inform. They are not the rare, fortuitous photo, the one which all photographers seek, but too rarely encounter. Rather they represent the staged photo. Animals manipulated into poses, or behavior elicited. Done with the best of intentions, but falling well short of the term ‘natural’.
These photos are not without their value, oftentimes they illustrate rare, or impossible to view behaviors, serving as an important record, whilst also generating interest in the natural world in the public. There is undoubtedly a value to this type of photography, but doubt lies in the execution, and its center point, the photographer, their values, and integrity take on a renewed importance.
My response has been transparency, and a commitment to open communication exemplified in Ethical Exif: a watermarked, indelible mark on each photo, a statement of ethical criteria specific to the creation of each individual photo. The shorthand symbols and the associated legend in the caption form a surprisingly comprehensive insight into the manufacture of each photo, and help inform the viewer of the process of the photo’s creation, and impart information important in determining a photographer’s impact.
green snake (serpentes) – Photo by Paul Bertner
It is easy to lose ourselves in the gloss of the image. The behavior, complexity, and hidden lives which lie beyond our horizon of understanding are revealed, oftentimes to our sheer amazement. But the beauty of the natural world as it travels through the lens and onto the page is not as straightforward as one might think, and the various outcomes have as much to do with the integrity of the photographer as to the viewer’s responsibility to critically view and evaluate the information they are ingesting.
View responsibly, and support those whose photography exemplifies a commitment to the wildlife they photograph so that we can all continue to enjoy the marvels that the natural world has to offer, and feel good doing it.
I invite you to enjoy nature at responsible in one of the Peru jungle lodges from Rainforest Expeditions.
By Paul Bertner
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What our guest say
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- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Jacob Shama May 2024
Yaacov May 2024
secaBoulder May 2024
Cecilia D May 2024
Andrea Breanna Apr 2024
A user Apr 2024
Niko Dietsch Apr 2024
Yuting C Apr 2024
Yuting Chen Apr 2024
Víctor Moscoso Apr 2024
Ari S March 2024
Dreamer627120 March 2024
The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all
This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all
Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all
We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all
Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all
El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all
Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all
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