"From My Eyes To Yours"
This is the collection of photographs displayed at Dinouk's debut photography exhibition held in Colombo in 2025.
​
The photographs were curated from a selection of trips ranging from 2020 to 2025, and were photographed in Minneriya, Kaudulla and Kala Wewa. The collection was an opportunity to observe Sri Lanka's wildlife during a period which saw an absence of large groups of visitors to the nature parks, while contrasting with the impacts of unregulated tourism.
​
Limited prints of the photographs are available for purchase. Please submit requests via the contact form.
Roughhousing
We spent some time watching this adolescent elephant who was keen to show off his strength against one of the older members of the herd. Despite size not being in his favour, his confidence was unbridled as the young tusker put on a show for all to see. Unfortunately for him, his opponent rapidly lost interest in this performance and wandered off to continue his evening meal.
Smile for the camera
During the COVID-19 lockdown, some of us were lucky enough to witness at close quarters the reclamation of territory by nature from the overrun of humans. Early into the lockdown, we enjoyed regular visits from this larger-than-life crocodile to the marsh adjoining our house in Nawala. On this visit, he spent over an hour posing for the camera and then, before departing, decided to give me one last smile as though to remind me it was us and not nature that had found itself locked up.
Expulsion
​​It is not uncommon to see wildlife in our parks visibly struggle as they are surrounded by dozens of jeeps, filled with noisy visitors, fighting each other to get the best view and Instagram image. In this scene, we spotted a baby elephant surrounded by the older herd members, who were forced to keep moving while surrounded by jeeps. The sharp parallel between this scene and the images taken during wars when communities are forcibly expelled was startling and could not be ignored. We are forced to confront the following questions: Whose home are we in, and at what cost does the perfect image come at?
Tails to Tell
As we languished in lockdown through much of 2020, it was also a time when the urban wildlife made more frequent appearances. At our home in Nawala, this majestic reptile (nicknamed ‘Snappy’) paid us some visits to the canal across from the garden and spent time sunbathing in the golden hour light. His visits gave us ample time to observe the rugged beauty of his reptilian skin and remember his awesome gait.
Peek-a-Boo
It is incredible the innocence and trust animals can possess before difficult interactions with the world teach them differently, not unlike ourselves. This cheeky baby elephant provided us with abundant entertainment as he spent most of the late afternoon playing with the older herd members. When he spotted us seated a little way off in the jeep, he covered his eye with his trunk several times, reminiscent of a child playing peek-a-book.
Can You See Me?
The way we picture elephants is how they tower above us in their breathtaking and graceful majesty. To see them sitting down when out of water, much less lying down, is a rare sight. While following this herd, enjoying an early morning feed, I was lucky enough to spot this elephant, who surprised us by popping up from the underbrush. With tufts of grass and dirt on his head, he looked mildly disgruntled as though his afternoon siesta had been interrupted.
It's Too Early For This
Leaving the park after a quiet drive, the “old man of the forest” saw us off. This Brown Fish Owl looked less than pleased to realise the sun had not completely set and that he could have slept in a little longer before his night began.
Above The Surface
Giving a new meaning to the phrase “frog in a well”, this amphibian was enjoying himself thoroughly exploring a nearby well that had only the previous day been dry as a bone, thanks to a surprise rainfall. He was as surprised to see me as I was to see him when he popped his head up for some air, not staying out for too long!
Hole In The Wall
While the farmers were preparing the fields for the next crop, our little friend observed nervously, expecting to have their small pond filled up at any moment. Despite his best efforts, he just could not get his camouflage right, but this did not dissuade him from abandoning his perch despite the farmers' proximity. Fortunately, his vigil was rewarded, and he could return to the water in the pond peacefully as the work for the evening ended.
Staggering
As we drove through an empty nature park, having finished our run for the day, this lone (and often elusive) animal surprised us. Despite being known for their skittish nature, this particular specimen watched us in silent observation, and his expression reflected an awareness of our surroundings and presence. As nature so often does, this unusual behaviour reminded us that we are visitors and not vice versa.
Trunking Around
Elephants are social animals with complex inter-personal dynamics and relationships that run deep. When they have time to relax, they engage in play and rough-housing, which is a joy to observe. When this shot was taken, it was just our vehicle in the vicinity, and this contributed to the pair who were leisurely fooling around with one another. Old and young alike that day took it upon themselves to enjoy the solitude in which their herd found itself.
Family Moments
This scene caught my eye because it was reminiscent of two young parents taking a few minutes to enjoy a tender moment while their child runs amok in the background. Our tracker explained later that, in fact, this one elephant had injured her foot a few weeks back and had been seen being taken care of by other members of the herd—no less special than the explanation we had imagined.
Baby Steps
As more of their territory is encroached upon in the name of ‘development,’ animals find themselves in increasingly precarious situations. In this new reality, even the youngest find themselves forced to struggle from an early age. Post-lockdown and other circumstances, crowds have begun to return in droves to nature parks, and elephants find themselves being forced to be constantly on the move. Walking alongside these gentle giants, this baby elephant was not allowed to spend too much time playing around and was nudged to move on faster.
Lookout
Even with people absent from the park, the wildlife was never completely free of their wariness. While the rest of the herd was observed enjoying the feed, this lone elephant was spotted a short way away, almost on guard duty. After an hour or so, she returned to the herd, signalling that mealtime was over.
Age Before Beauty
Age takes its toll on everyone, including nature. This Toque Macaque Monkey was seen seated on his own, watching the younger members of his troop as they harassed the tourists paying homage to the Avukana statue. In a moment of reminiscence, the old monkey watched the younger members of his troop before lazily walking away.
Queen of the Jungle
This lone elephant perfectly encapsulated the reality and grace of these beasts as she made her way down the road leading from the entrance of the park. Despite the mechanical obstruction, she was undeterred and continued to make her unhurried way towards us. Her grandeur was further emphasised by one small detail in the picture (can you spot it?).
Innocent Thief
The cheeky Toque Macaque monkeys are all too well known for harassing farmers, visitors, and shop owners alike to satisfy their never-ending appetites. They often resemble a gang of thieves looking to outwit their opponents at every turn. Despite this, even after having stolen a coconut from a roadside vendor, this monkey maintained an innocence in his eyes, making it difficult for those observing him to stay angry.
His Majesty
After what had been a fairly quiet afternoon in the park, we were treated to this less-than-welcoming bull outside the park fences. Pulling over to photograph him certainly did not improve his mood, as he proceeded to charge towards the vehicle. Making it clear that he had no time for us or any other vehicles, we soon learnt that the last few weeks he had been destroying many of the roadside vendors’ shops.
Lonely Hero(n)
While the rest of this heron’s flock had long since flown home to roost, this final heron attempted to catch the final vestiges of the dying light before joining his family. He had an almost pensive stance as he gazed out onto the horizon, and it was a continued reminder that the peace of nature is all too fragile and we need to fight to continue to keep it a reality.
Lasting Impression
Elephant feet have been a long-time fascination of mine; the impressions they leave on the ground as they walk through the underbrush and along the dusty paths serve as a marker when tracking them. At the same time, the agility and grace with which those feet carry this large giant through the jungles will never cease to amaze me.
Few of Their Kind
The elephant is not just the gentle giant of the jungle, but is also one of the key symbols of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, their numbers dwindle yearly as the human-elephant conflict and human error increase. Cohabitation is the order of the day, and if not, it won’t be long until these gentle giants number in the tens, making solitary sightings like this more frequent as opposed to those of the large herds.
Eye of Nature (Canvas)
A close capture of what is truly the only way to be able to understand wildlife, their eyes. Standing beside the vehicle, this elephant was not aggressive but simple vary of our presence.
