I Spy with my EOS R5

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I Spy with my EOS R5

It is one thing to enjoy a pastime for its value as entertainment but what criteria, if any, catapults a person beyond that of an individual with a hobby, to that of a full blown passion that can define your life? Keep in mind that the term ‘passion’ is a one that is easily, and overly used in this day and age. There are many who profess to having a passion that proved to be little more than a passing interest at one stage of life. Not so in this instance.

A gradual evolution of self led Husini Bakar – affectionately known among his contemporaries as Kantalensa – to become a skilled wildlife photographer with a strong penchant for avians. He will gladly shoot anything through his long lens such as monkeys and monitor lizards, but his admiration for macro photography and fine details resulted in a particular interest in spiders more so than anything else at first. It was not until 2012 however, when a trip with a group of friends turned into an impromptu birding expedition that he switched focus.

Armed with his trusty Canon EOS R5, a long lens, and a strong collector’s mentality, he strove to document as many species of our feathered friends as possible within Brunei. Ticking off bird after bird on his mental checklist after every encounter, Husini is a man bursting at the seams with a youthful exuberance and almost child-like glee. The positive energy he emits is truly quite contagious, as he describes the numerous times he spent hours waiting for that perfect shot, or was finally able to snap a bird that had eluded him for years. He was actively involved in the country’s first official bird race in 2014, and is part of a small select group of birders who call themselves the White Crowners, in tribute to the White Crowned Hornbill.

Having documented more than 200 species prevalent not just in Brunei, but across all Borneo, he felt the need to present the result of his endeavors in a publicised format, in 2017. Alas, life gets in the way as it tends to do, and his desire was quashed … but not for long. Upon his retirement in 2019 he bit the bullet and began his self-funded process of producing 200 copies of this labour of love. Fast forward to February 2022, and with a wide grin and beaming eyes, he flipped through the pages of his Colourful Feathers – a large hardback book containing the photographs of 127 bird species. The star of the show for Husini? Why, that would be the Bornean Bristlehead, though, in the defence of every other bird, he has a good story to accompany each and every one.

Acknowledging all the other things he has achieved in life, this book has far more personal gravitas to it. “This is my legacy,” Husini begins before saying, “I want to be able to leave something behind that I was passionate about, that is proof of who I am, what I truly enjoyed in life. Something that my wife and children can refer to in the future so that they can think proudly of me.” •• IG: @mr.kantalensa