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Writer's pictureFaraaz Abdool

12 of 24

Each moment straddles a thin line between the past and future, constantly, and elusively for many, advancing. Thus, the rigid structure of the calendar year allows this slippery creature called the present to be called to attention for an hour or two when the end of one gives way to the start of another. Here, we absorb the in-between feeling and contemplate upon what has just gone, using this as inspiration to apply to what is yet to come.


2024 has been a rollercoaster year for me. I racked up many unexpected miles, the carbon guilt only assuaged by the understanding that nothing has been frivolous. There was much growth, and there will undoubtedly be shedding at some point. There are still many stories to be told.


For now, I shall share my favourite image from each month of 2024. Being able to photograph every month is a privilege, perhaps 2025's goal may be a 52 week project?


January

Snowy Egret cruising over a marsh at sunrise, near a main highway in Trinidad. I love shooting when the light is golden, and getting a bird flying into the frame with both foreground and background elements was a real bonus.

February

Perspective is everything. American Flamingos at 100mm, lens probably 25mm above the water's surface. Regardless of how many times I float into the Caroni Swamp, it is never not magical.

March

When the great Kapok puts her flowers out, she sets fire to the night. For a few nights, bats and moths jostled under a swollen moon for a sip of nectar.

April

April found me with a wonderful group of people on the first edition of the "Best of T&T", a custom tour that I plan to run again in 2026. Tough to pick a favourite image, but this seabird silhouette against a hillside dotted with yellow poui, showered in golden afternoon light is a clear winner. For those wondering, you're looking at a Magnificent Frigatebird with six boobies, northeast Tobago.

May

Blue-grey Tanager with dancing orbs of sunset. The pure variability of backlight has properly caught me, and I very rarely pass up on an opportunity to photograph into the light as a result.

June

Were I to pore over the hundreds of images made on safari over the course of three weeks in an attempt to choose one, this post would never be published. East Africa is a proper fountain of life. Of all that we encountered during our time here, experiences with elephants touched a different part of our being. All the emotions possible, plus others I didn't know existed. This sand-stained bull encapsulated and oozed a sublime power.

July

We spent some time soaking in (relatively) urban settings in July. From the Global Birdfair to some much-needed family (both blood and non-blood) time, we yearned for wilderness even while being pampered by our gracious hosts. For a brief couple of weeks, it felt like the closest we've come to a vacation in several years. Here, an immature Yellow-legged Gull wonders whether I am going to deliver a snack or not in a park in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

August

From the moment I laid eyes on a Common Wood-pigeon, I knew I wanted to make at least one image that I'd treasure. I felt its pain of being dismissed as an upsettingly common species in the UK, and wanted to do it some form of justice. The dim, muted light of the British countryside played kindly to enhance the strong shadows of this thick green wall.

September

The forest is chaos, beautiful chaos. Violet Sabrewing at Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica.

October

The sheer popularity of Costa Rica as a photography destination places a fair amount of pressure on my shoulders (voluntarily so) to return with something "different". And so, I pointed my lens in the distance and fired away. This small kettle of vultures concealed a small raptor, the identity of which remains a mystery.

November

The famous Discovery Trail at Asa Wright Nature Centre on Trinidad features a multi-generational White-bearded Manakin lek, within which very accommodating and photogenic birds pose kindly for photographers.

December

A botched arrangement led to me being in Trinidad's Northern Range at dawn, suddenly with no clients. Oh, the horror! What would I ever do in the jungle? With snacks and a camera?! White-bellied Antbird has been a bogey bird of sorts for many years, this image is going into an upcoming project. Stay tuned for that!

I hope you enjoyed this selection. Things are far from perfect, but the concept of perfection is in itself an imperfect ideal.

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© 2024 Faraaz Abdool

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