Capturing this portrait in Lake Murray, Western Province—Papua New Guinea’s largest yet remote lake, was a challenge. The young boy was naturally shy, like many in the area who aren't accustomed to cameras. The most difficult part was earning his trust and catching his gaze before he slipped behind the tree. I had to carefully guide him into a natural pose, leaning just as I had found him, and connect with him quickly to hold that moment. This wasn’t a staged shot; I had one chance to get it right before the moment was gone. What made him stand out was the striking contrast of his skin tone against the tree bark, which I knew I had to capture fast. After showing him the image on my camera, he smiled and gave his consent, happy with how he looked. I shot this on a Nikon Z9 paired with a 70-200mm lens with available natural light. ISO 250 200mm f/3.5 1/800 sec
Post Production done in Lightroom. Light retouch and cropping. Trying to keep it as natural as possible