rainforest in the rainy season. Finding
ways to dry your gear in the field is essen-
tial. I’m convinced what saved my gear
was the hot tin roof of the houseboat that
provided a slightly drier microenviron-
ment in my bunk room where I kept my
gear. Bring lots of camera batteries, as
some are bound to stop working.
At night, or when it’s not in use,
always keep your gear (lenses, bodies,
accessories, batteries, computer, hard
drives...everything) in a sealed dry box
full of silica. Moisture collects, espe-
cially at night. Take the lenses off the
camera bodies to dry. For long trips in
wet climates, desiccant can be bought
in bulk and recharged by baking in an
oven, microwave or, in our case, heating
it up in a paint can on the stove. A rule
of thumb is when the silica gel changes
color, it is recharged and ready to dry
your gear again.
When out in the field, try to not touch
the lens or hold it close to your body
when not using it. Carry it by the camera
body, not the lens. If carrying your lens
cap in your pocket, turn it away from
your body so sweat doesn’t collect on
the inside of the cap. The heat and mois-
ture from your body causes your lens to
fog up, resulting in fuzzy pictures. Bring
small, dry bags stuffed with several pack-
ets of desiccant with you into the field.
They should be just large enough to fit
your camera with the lens on between
shoots. Open the bags only to take cam-
eras out or put them back in.Working With Guides
Scientists often hire guides from local
villages to lead them. Local hunters knew
the forest like the back of their hand.
However, they were not trained in guid-
ing photographers in the field. When they
spotted an animal in the treetops, they
often stopped the boat right where they
had the perfect view. Unfortunately, that
often meant my view was blocked by
foliage and tree branches. A few inches
in your position makes all the difference
in shooting in the rainforest. Learn some
key phrases in the local language, suchas “move forward,” “secure us here,”
“back up a bit,” “back up a lot,” “I can’t
see through the trees” and “let’s find a
different spot.”Enjoy Yourself!
With one week left in the trip, I sat
down on the front bench on the upper
deck of the houseboat to take a breath.
We’d been so busy since leaving port,
I’d had few moments to sit and take in
the beauty unfolding here every day.
The first twinkle of stars appeared in
the blue twilight sky. Even though my
level of exhaustion was unprecedented,
I didn’t want the trip to end.
Living on a houseboat open to the
constant presence of nature, I felt part
of the life force of this place. The joy
of working to catch just a bit of that
beauty through my camera was worth
every bit of the challenge. opSee more of Christina Selby’s work at
christinamselby.com.