Walking with Giants

This was shot on an assignment in Zambia last year. One of the lodges that is featured in our latest book (Wild Romance - Africa's most romantic safari lodges) asked us if we could return to shoot some additional material for their new brochures. One of the most important features of this camp is the fact that they offer guided walking safaris. The area is famous for the large herds of elephants, and the camp owner wanted to have a shot of an elephant standing underneath a large Winterthorn tree, also typical for this area, with a group of tourists and guide in the background. Obiviously, this is easier said than done.

Photographing an elephant is one thing, but to photograph one with people in it is quite something else. In order to get the shot, we used two vehicles - one with myself in it and a guide, and one with the 'actors'. The idea was to have four people in the shot: two tourists, a guide and a security guard. We drove around the area, searching for elephants, preferably standing in good light and eating from a big Winterthorn tree. When we found one, I would take position and use a radio to direct the other vehicle to the spot where I wanted the people in the frame. I would then make the composition while the four actors would get out of their car and very slowly and quietly walk into the shot. Obviously, with wild animals it is very important to keep a safe distance - both for the people and for the animal. By using a long lens I was able to compress the perspective, pulling the animal and the people closer together in the shot.

To get a good shot was not easy to say the least. It takes time to find a good potential shot and to get into the right position. Often by the time everything was set, the elephant was already starting to walk away or decided to turn around for a nice butt-shot. We eventually got the 'money shot' not far from our camp. A large elephant was feeding from a large tree and was not in a hurry to move - I gratefully took advantage of that.

Nikon D3, AF-S VR 200-400/4.0, 1/400 @ f/11, beanbag