Saying Yes
I recently watched a really cheesy Jim Carrey movie and was unfortunately inspired by it. So when I was asked whether I would like to go somewhere which sounded possibly dismal I said yes.
Note on photo: Don't really believe that this might be swinhoei. Don't really think this is Chocolate Demon either because of its size and funny half pale legs and the vein 5 between 4 and 6 seems to fit. But might be swinhoei after all because they grew so many weird plants which evoked ooohs and aaahs it just might be possible.
Note on photo: I wanted to see if there were any markings topside so I flashed the huge fella in order to get it to open its thick wings.
There Will Be Days Like These
But saying yes to everything also brought up some risks besides opening up opportunities. There was always a risk that things wouldn't turn out the way you'd hoped. It rained constantly wherever I went.
It rained while I climbed up hills and got my first encounter with leeches.
It rained while I was trying track a butterfly on a slope.
It rained while I stood under the tallest trees I'd ever remembered and watched as the clouds of rains engulfed the horizon, coming closer and closer while I hurriedly packed my camera away.
It rained while I stopped halfway up the track thinking about why I bothered to come this far.
And then it occurred to me how beautiful the forest was with the rain coming down with the sunlight through the trees. I guess besides saying yes to everything, you really do have to make a conscious effort to understand that you can't really make new experiences if you only make the kind of experiences you want.
So I put my camera away…
The top of the forest was an astounding sight. And even more strange was a monitor lizard at the top of the tree.
When I was back at the foot, I was ready to leave when I saw flittering orange, purples, whites and literally stumbled upon a crowded patch of butterflies.
I had never seen most of these before. And was climbing and crawling everywhere trying to get photos of them. I guess they are common around these parts because some people passing by paid no attention to them.
Note on photo: This was taken the weekend before the New Year next to a man made concrete structure filled with water in the middle of an enclosed forest.
Note on photo: This is the most beautiful damselfly I have ever seen. Look at those white legs.
Note on photo: Look at those shining wings.
I have no regrets coming to KL to shoot. All shots (except the Cratilla dragonfly) were taken in the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.
Butterfly Effect 
wow,,superb macro!! Excellent work, Ellen!
Thanks Liya! Back to housework for me too now! 😀 *packs furiously*
lovely
Thanks 🙂
The photos are fantastic (I love the colors on the stick insect) ! I love the damselfly shots! And I love the insights you gained by saying "yes"…even with some trepidation. Being open to experiences, however they turn out….calling even the bad ones "adventures" makes life a bit easier! (love the birds, too…I am a bird nut!)
Thanks! Yup it was a real adventure… actually there were more shots but my hard drive died on me in the middle of the rainforest, destroying about 117 photos, of which included an apefly looking butterfly which was too big to be an apefly and a skipper which had the weirdest looking white stripes on the face and body.
AND a rare species of slipper orchid flower that costs a few thousand dollars on the black market which the researchers were growing.
I was really bummed. I almost lost the ones that I posted here. If it did it would take me a whole lot of teeth clenching and fist shaking to say that it was worth the adventure… 😛
URGGGGGH. Oh that must just be so painful to lose pictures to a stupid computer failure!!!!*shakes fist at hard drives everywhere!*