This kind of has a night vision vibe to it but I can absolutely see the camera flash vibe too. This is cool as hell!

Very happy to see you sharing your artwork here again!
Reminds me of this flash-blinded self-portrait.
I've been filming rats at night lately, this high-contrast imagery has become familiar and dear to me.

From the deeply passionate and painstakingly canvases,
to the little doodles, your creations are always feasts for the eyes and soul.

Thank you so much!! There's something about capturing the nuances of flash photography with visible brush strokes that just scratches my brain right, I'm so glad you can enjoy it too. I'm curious if your rat films are part of a project or a hobby in itself? 🐁

It is an ethereal technique, like reproducing the gloss of fur and hair,
or various optic illusions and water reflections with utterly counterintuitive painting touches.
Real digital painting singularity stuff, dazzling to behold!

The brown rats in question are a vaguely defined sprawling colony
that ranges the narrow banks of where clayish grassy ground
rolls gently towards the water edge. A good-sized flock of mallards
also calls that river meander their home, and given that a strolling path
for dog-walkers and parents with kids passes through that spot,
there is always an ample supply of snacks left for the ducks,
that trickles down to the local feral pigeons and the rats.

That colony is unique in that, despite existing fairly near
apartment complexes, they don't have to raid the trash collection zones
like most other urban rats, instead having their feed delivered to them
via the mallard-feeding habits of the locals, leaving the rats
to lead a life very similar to their wild counterparts,
and their behavior reflects that, fearless, bold and playful.

They are more confident at dusk, which occurs around 5 PM in these parts
during this season, and so my visits to the colony often stretch
into the dark hours, necessitating flash assistance for filming
I've been feeding them around one of their tree root riverfront homes,
mostly a mix of store-bought rat muesli, sunflower seeds
and various treats in small quantities, and they gradually
gather around the spread, some grabbing-and-running,
some nibbling on the stuff right there, sitting on their haunches,
with the total number of diners reaching six or seven occasionally –
the most numerous gatherings of brown rats I've ever witnessed
in one place.

They allow me to come pretty close, but only as long
as I'm crouching down and not fidgeting around,
growing more relaxed if they have the strength in numbers,
and the older individuals paying my presence less mind
than the skittish youngsters. Besides enjoying the treats,
they can also be seen foraging around, greeting one another,
having scuffles for food, frightening pigeons,
washing themselves in the water, grooming,
swimming in the river very deftly and quickly,
climbing the fallen trees nearby, and generally
living a fairly relaxed idyllic lives free of want and fear
that is commonly associated with that species.

Pardon me for taking so long to respond, I'm a little insane lately.

That's so amazing! its like nothing else when you can familiarize yourself with the local fauna and learn about them as individuals. Since August I've been naming and tracking the deer herd behind my apartment, but I'm a little jealous with how much more familiar you are with your rat colony XD They sound like a delight to observe, and probably so relaxing as well! It's nice they seem to avoid any city pollutants and live as wild as they can. I love hearing about those little pockets of beauty in the world.
And no need to apologize, your thoughtful words are always appreciated, and who isn't insane these days?