HIGHLY COMMENDED CATEGORY ANIMAL PORTRAITS
Louis Guillot | Emerald Gem

Name: Louis Guillot
Picture title: Emerald Gem
Category: Animal Portraits
Nationality: United Kingdom
Occupation: Full-time photographer

Technical information
Camera: Nikon d500
Lens: Sigma 15mm f2.8 EX DG Fisheye
EXIF: F18, 1/200s, ISO 160
Accessories: X1 Meike Mk-320N off camera flash
Godox trigger and transmitter
Angler Octagonal fastbox diffuser
Fenix flash light

Louis Guillot says:

For eight months, from November 2023 to July 2024, I lived in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest in Madre de Dios. Volunteering with tourist lodges and conservation NGOs allowed me to immerse myself in this incredible ecosystem, documenting its wildlife and experiencing unforgettable moments. One of those moments came after a grueling nine-hour trek outside the Tambopata National Reserve.

As the day ended, I climbed a canopy tower to witness a breathtaking sunset over the endless expanse of jungle. Once the sun dipped below the horizon, fatigue and dehydration began to set in, and I was eager to return to camp. But as I walked along the trail with my headlamp on, a flash of vivid green about five meters away stopped me in my tracks. The intensity of the color seemed almost unreal. Intrigued, I moved closer, and my heart raced as I realized what I was seeing: an emerald tree boa, the snake of my dreams.

For five months, I had searched for this arboreal jewel during countless night walks. And here it was, just 1.5 meters above the ground, low enough to allow for perfect photography. My exhaustion was replaced by a rush of adrenaline and pure joy. This was my moment.

Despite feeling dizzy and drained after 10 hours of trekking without water, I knew I had to make the most of this opportunity. I pulled out my camera and flash, ready to capture this rare sight. The jungle had other plans, though: mosquitoes descended upon me in relentless swarms. Over 40 minutes, I amassed more than 150 bites across my body, including my face, lips, and ears. The discomfort was extreme, but I hardly cared. I had just found the treasure of the rainforest. In fact, I grew to appreciate the mosquitoes, as they added a sense of authenticity to the image.

Using a 15mm fisheye lens and an off-camera flash, I worked carefully to avoid disturbing the snake. Instead of setting up a tripod, which might have shifted vegetation and startled the boa, I handheld my camera and flash. I clipped a small torch to a nearby plant to aid with focusing in the pitch-black jungle. Then came the waiting game: I wanted to capture the snake in its natural environment, its tongue flicking out, with mosquitoes in flight around it.

Patience paid off. Eventually, I captured the perfect shot, an emerald tree boa with its tongue extended, framed by two mosquitoes in the foreground and two in the background. It was a rollercoaster of a night, but one I’ll never forget.

In post I made a mask and increased the exposure on the mosquitoes to make them more visible. More generally I increased the exposure of the whole photo as my flash didn’t fire at the correct power when I took the photo.