Few sights in Africa personify the continent as well as a large herd of elephants on their way to drink.

Often, it is the dust you see first. Then the occasional trumpeting as a young herd member is reprimanded, or a predator chased away.

Next you feel the vibration through your feet as the earth trembles with the literally thousands and thousands of pachydermic pounds that seismically rumble through the earth.

Next there is the unmistakable elephant smell of earth encrusted bodies, sweat and occasionally musty tension.

Perhaps however, the most moving of all your senses are the emotional ones. A feeling of awe and excitement, coupled with a feeling of un-abiding respect and privilege of having a close encounter with these huge creatures that are so much a part of the wonderful and mesmerizing African fabric.
As with most of my work, I try and hero my primary subject by way of clean lines and a small assortment of complimentary colors. A grey dust filled sky and no background distractions mean your eye is taken instantly to the elephants rumbling towards you.

Although walking elephants look slow, their speed is often hard to judge as with huge strides they cover ground deceptively quickly.

I remember going through a whole ensemble of lenses from a 200-400mm, then 70-200mm and finally 16-35mm in the space of just two minutes before realizing that the time for capturing images was over.

I now needed to stay dead still and let the matriarch and her herd passed within 15 feet of where I was crouched, and simply enjoy the moving and morphing organism that is a wonderful herd of elephants.

Available Sizes
Large: 146cm x 103cm – AED 12,205

Available Editions
Large: 50