Photo & Story by Arun Dhruv
Some journeys are planned with a clear purpose. But sometimes nature adds a moment you never expected.
I travelled to Wayanad with my mother to visit the sacred Tirunelli Temple. She had come to perform Bali Pooja for her parents, a ritual to remember and pray for the departed souls of our ancestors. The temple sits quietly in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Western Ghats.
There is something peaceful about this place. The air feels cooler, the sounds of the forest are soft, and the entire environment encourages you to slow down and be present in the moment.
Walking Through the Forest
After completing the rituals at the papanashini, the sacred stream where pilgrims offer prayers, we were returning to the temple through the forest path.
The path winds through dense forest. Tall trees rise high above the canopy, and the sound of flowing water echoes somewhere in the distance. It is the kind of place where you feel completely surrounded by nature.
While standing there for a moment and looking up into the forest canopy, something suddenly caught my attention.
At first it was just a slight movement among the branches.
A Rare Sight in the Trees
The trees in that area were extremely tall, and beyond them was a restricted forest section where visitors are not allowed to enter. Whatever was moving was very far away and deep inside that protected stretch.
I looked carefully through the leaves.
And that was when I saw it.
A Malabar Giant Squirrel.
Perched high on a branch, the squirrel almost blended into the shadows of the canopy. But its rich chestnut coloured fur stood out beautifully against the greens and browns of the forest.
It moved slowly along the branch with incredible balance before leaping gracefully to another tree. Watching it move through the canopy felt almost effortless, like it truly belonged to that silent world above the forest floor.
For a moment I simply stood there and watched.
Capturing the Moment
Seeing the squirrel was one thing. Photographing it was another challenge.
It was very far away and extremely high up in the trees. The dense foliage made it difficult to get a clear view. I had to carefully frame the shot through layers of branches and leaves while trying not to lose sight of the animal.
Wildlife encounters like this are always brief and unpredictable. You cannot rush them. You just wait, observe, and hope nature gives you a small window.
Fortunately I managed to capture a photograph before the squirrel slowly disappeared deeper into the forest canopy.
Editing the Photograph
When I later edited the image, I wanted the final photograph to reflect the atmosphere of the forest canopy I experienced in that moment.
Using Lightroom Classic, I applied a dark moody edit to emphasize the depth and quiet feeling of the forest. Because the squirrel was far away and surrounded by dense foliage, I carefully adjusted the exposure, shadows, and contrast to add structure to the trees while keeping the lighting natural.
I slightly deepened the greens and reduced the highlights to preserve the calm and mysterious tone of the forest. This also helped the squirrel’s rich chestnut fur stand out naturally from the darker background.
Subtle clarity and texture adjustments helped separate the subject from the layers of leaves and branches without making the image look over processed.
When Nature Surprises You
What began as a spiritual visit with my mother unexpectedly turned into a memorable wildlife encounter.
Places like Wayanad are special because faith, tradition, and nature exist side by side. And sometimes while you are focused on one experience, the forest quietly reveals another.
Encounters like this remind us that the forests of the Western Ghats are not just beautiful landscapes. They are living ecosystems filled with extraordinary wildlife, many of which spend their lives hidden high in the canopy.
Sometimes the best photographs are not the ones we plan.
They are the ones that appear unexpectedly when we simply pause and look up.
Shot on @sonyalpha #sonya7iv with the #sony200600 Edited in @lightroom