Photographing Borneo: Capturing the Essence of a Wild Place

If you love photographing wild nature, there are likely a handful of priority destinations you yearn to visit—places that are absolutely tantalizing to you. For Court Whelan, Borneo was high on that list from an early age. Riveted by photos of Borneo’s gigantic tropical insects, young Court—who would later study entomology—fantasized about seeing them for himself in the ancient rain forests of world’s third-largest island. Fast-forward to today: After guiding numerous expeditions in Borneo, Court has plenty of advice for photographers who are likewise intrigued with this primeval wilderness and its resident orangutans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys. He’ll share tips not just for photographing Borneo’s captivating wildlife—including the “rush hour” of birds flying back and forth across the Kinabatangan River—but how to capture the essence of a place that has long piqued your imagination. Whether it’s Borneo or another wild place that heads your own wish list, Court’s lessons will inspire and inform—and you’ll savor his visual sampler of what makes Borneo one of the world’s most entrancing nature destinations.


Originally presented December 1, 2020

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