Wildlife Photography Ethics
Why I Won't Guarantee Orangutans in Borneo
Why genuine wildlife encounters matter more than promised photographs
There is something I want to make very clear about my Borneo photography expedition: I cannot promise you a wild orangutan photograph. In fact, I cannot even promise you will see an orangutan. And I think that is an important conversation to have before anyone books a wildlife photography trip.
Hello there folks! As I have been putting together my first Borneo expedition for 2028, I keep coming back to one particular question. What should we actually expect when we head into the rainforest with our cameras?
It is easy to understand why orangutans are such a huge draw. They are extraordinary animals, and the idea of encountering one in the wild is something I find incredibly exciting. But a wildlife expedition is not a studio portrait session. The animal has not agreed to our itinerary, and it certainly has not checked when we would prefer the nicest light!
I want to explain why I would rather be upfront about that uncertainty than advertise a promise no responsible photography leader can truly make.
Wild Means Wild. What Does That Actually Mean?
A genuinely wild animal is living its own life in its own habitat. It decides where to travel, when to feed, where to rest and whether to remain hidden from us altogether.
That is exactly what makes seeing one so special. A moment that happens on the animal’s terms can be profoundly memorable, even if the light is rubbish, the branches get in the way or the photograph never quite comes together.
In Sabah, our planned journey includes the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley, both places where wild orangutans occur. That makes them meaningful locations to spend time observing and photographing rainforest wildlife. But a suitable location is not a guarantee of a particular encounter.
Rain, food availability, habitat, the animals’ movements and sheer luck all play a role. And even if we see one, there is no promise it will be close enough, visible enough or well positioned for the photograph we imagined.
My starting point: We can plan carefully for good photographic opportunities. We cannot schedule a wild animal.
Why I Will Not Guarantee Orangutan Sightings
I completely understand why photographers want reassurance when they are investing in a special trip. You may have been dreaming of photographing an orangutan for years. Perhaps this is your only opportunity to travel to Borneo. Those expectations matter, and I do not take them lightly.
But promising a sighting would give the impression that the experience is under our control. It is not.
Even highly experienced naturalist guides cannot know exactly where an individual animal will be on a particular morning. They can help us understand the environment, interpret signs and choose sensible places to look. They cannot ask an orangutan to arrive on cue.
And there is another point I think is worth making. Seeing an animal and getting a photograph you are happy with are two completely different things. We might see an orangutan very high in the canopy, with nothing but tiny gaps between the leaves. That is still an amazing encounter, but it may not result in a portfolio image.
I would much rather explain that honestly at the outset than have anyone feel they were promised a photograph that nature was never obliged to provide.
There Is a Difference Between Wild Encounters and Managed Wildlife Experiences
Sabah also has rehabilitation and conservation facilities, including Sepilok, where visitors can learn about orangutans and may observe animals associated with rehabilitation programmes. Such facilities can have important educational and conservation roles.
But watching orangutans around a managed feeding environment is not the same experience as searching for wild, unprovisioned animals in the rainforest. That distinction matters to me because the two experiences should not be marketed as though they are interchangeable.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn from a responsibly run conservation facility. I simply want to be clear about the kind of photography expedition I am developing. Our focus is on watching wild animals behaving naturally in their own habitats, without feeding them or trying to manipulate their behaviour.
And that brings me to something even more important than getting the shot.
The Photograph Is Never More Important Than the Animal
As photographers, we can become very focused on composition, shutter speeds and whether the light is falling in exactly the right place. I know that feeling. It is part of what makes photography so absorbing.
But with wildlife, we have another responsibility. Our decisions affect living creatures, sometimes species already under considerable pressure.
The Bornean orangutan is classified as Critically Endangered. Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the serious threats it faces. For me, that is reason enough to approach any encounter with humility rather than entitlement.
There are a few boundaries I think should be non-negotiable on a trip like this:
- No feeding or baiting wildlife. An animal should not be encouraged to approach us or change its behaviour for a photograph.
- No pushing closer for a better angle. We follow the local guide’s instructions, maintain appropriate distance and allow animals space to move away.
- No blocking a route or crowding an animal. A clear portrait is not worth causing stress or changing natural behaviour.
- No chasing sightings. On the river, we should not ask the boat operator to pursue animals or manoeuvre unsafely.
- No flash or artificial light unless explicitly permitted and appropriate. Sensitive night encounters may be better enjoyed without taking a photograph.
- Leave the habitat as we found it. That includes staying on permitted routes and respecting the rules of the places we visit.
I do not want to pretend these are always perfectly simple decisions. Different species respond differently, conditions vary and a good guide’s judgement is essential. When in doubt, we should give the animal more space, not less.
What We Can Do to Improve Our Photography Opportunities
Not guaranteeing sightings does not mean leaving everything to chance. There is a great deal we can do to prepare for meaningful time in the field.
Choose appropriate habitats and experienced local guides
The planned route includes rainforest habitats known to support orangutans and many other species. Working with knowledgeable local naturalists is important, both for understanding where it is sensible to look and for avoiding unnecessary disturbance.
Build enough flexibility into the schedule
One reason I favour small photography groups is that we can respond more easily when an opportunity presents itself. A private boat on the Kinabatangan, for example, can offer more flexibility for observing behaviour than a larger mixed-interest excursion, always within the limits of navigation safety and the guide’s decisions.
The expedition is being designed around structured photography time with room to adapt. Sometimes that means spending longer with an interesting subject. Other times, it means accepting that the forest has other ideas.
Know your equipment before you arrive
When an encounter does happen, your best advantage is being ready. Familiar autofocus settings, a sensible telephoto zoom and confidence working in low light all help. If you are preparing for the trip, I have written a separate Borneo camera gear and packing guide covering exactly those challenges.
Think beyond the close-up portrait
One of the most valuable things we can do is to broaden our idea of a successful photograph. A small orangutan silhouetted high in the canopy may tell a far more interesting story than a technically perfect headshot. Habitat, scale and behaviour are all part of wildlife photography.
What If We Do Not See an Orangutan?
This may sound like a strange thing for someone organising a Borneo wildlife expedition to say, but I still believe a day without an orangutan can be a very rewarding day of photography.
Sabah is home to an extraordinary range of subjects. Proboscis monkeys, hornbills, forest birds, rainforest details, changing weather and the beautiful layers of the landscape can all offer opportunities to create photographs with real meaning.
Along the Kinabatangan, we may spend time watching monkeys moving through riverside trees or looking for birds against the morning light. In Danum Valley, we may find that the shapes, textures and atmosphere of the forest are worth photographing in their own right.
Those are not consolation prizes. They are part of the reason I find the idea of this journey so exciting.
I have written more about those very different photographic environments in my Kinabatangan River photography guide and Danum Valley rainforest photography guide.
And What If We Do See One?
Well, first of all, I hope we take a moment simply to appreciate it.
There is a temptation to raise the camera immediately and start firing away. I have certainly felt that excitement in the field. But I also think the best photographs often come after a little observation, when you begin to understand what the animal is doing.
If an orangutan is feeding, resting or moving naturally through the branches, perhaps the story is in that behaviour. Maybe the surrounding forest is essential to the picture. Maybe the light is dreadful and the best decision is to lower the camera and enjoy a remarkable encounter.
I would love everyone travelling with me to return home with photographs they are proud of. Equally, I would love them to return home with an even greater appreciation of the animals and places we have been fortunate enough to visit.
Why This Matters to the Way I Lead Photography Expeditions
I am a landscape and travel photographer and a workshop leader. I spend a lot of time thinking about how to give people the right opportunities to make photographs they will value.
For Borneo, that means designing a journey that takes photography seriously: a small group, appropriate time in each location, local expertise, thoughtful positioning and a willingness to adapt.
It does not mean presenting the rainforest as a controlled environment where every visitor can order the same wildlife experience.
This is my first expedition to Sabah, so I am sharing the principles guiding its planning rather than claiming I have already led a group through these forests. I think being open about that is just as important as being open about the unpredictability of wildlife.
If you are considering a wildlife photography trip anywhere in the world, I would encourage you to ask what the operator can genuinely control, what the local guides are responsible for and how animal welfare shapes the plan. Those answers tell you a lot about the kind of experience you are booking.
A More Honest Kind of Wildlife Photography
Ultimately, I do not think wildlife photography should be a checklist of species we need to tick off before going home.
It is about paying attention. Learning how an environment works. Being patient enough to notice the quieter moments. And remembering that we are visitors in a place that belongs to the animals long before it belongs to our cameras.
Would I love to photograph a wild orangutan in Borneo? Absolutely. I would be delighted!
But if that encounter does happen, I want it to be because we were fortunate enough to share a moment with an animal living its own life. Not because we tried to turn it into something it was never meant to be.
Wild means wild. And for me, that is precisely the point.
Thanks for reading, folks. Take care, and keep exploring!
Explore My Borneo Photography Expedition
I am developing a small-group expedition through Sabah from 27 June to 10 July 2028, including Mount Kinabalu, the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. We will prioritise thoughtful photography, excellent local guidance and ethical wild encounters, without promising any individual species.
Explore the Borneo Expedition →