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2010: The Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Species - Highly Commended

Tim Laman Enlarge image Night eyes

Tim Laman (USA)

Night eyes

Not once in 20 years of searching on the island of Borneo had Tim ever seen a Horsfield's (or western) tarsier. But he didn't give up his search for this small, rare and secretive primate. 'Tarsiers are totally nocturnal, so my goal was to capture the feel of night,' says Tim. Then, on a nocturnal sortie in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, he finally found one. He raced back to the camp to get his tripod and strobe lights, and the tarsier cooperated, waiting and holding its pose. 'I kept my flash toned down and at an angle to illuminate the tarsier's special features: its toe pads for clinging to small trees, the sensitive, directional ears and those huge eyes for night vision.'

Canon EOS 5D + 70-200mm f2.8 lens; 1/125 sec at f11; ISO 200; Canon 580EX strobes.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.

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