Calm Before The Storm

2022

Image Story

"No animal on earth has the ability to be so calm, yet so powerful all at once."

Of all the hours I have spent with elephants, camera in hand, I have never once felt in danger. Yet so often, images of these gentle giants seem to suggest raw power or the hint of a threat between subject and photographer.

This particular bull had been on our radar for a couple of days. We were hoping for some kind of interaction, maybe a stand off with another bull or a moment with a passing female. But he was content to feed and rest, and little more. Rather than move on in search of more action, I set myself the challenge of capturing just how calm and at ease he was around us.

He may have been relaxed, but the weather told a different story. The first rains in months looked close, and the brewing storm added a sense of drama to the scene. It created a quiet contrast between the stillness of the elephant and the movement in the sky, and gave the image a touch of the energy I was looking for.

For a while, it was the only elephant image of mine hanging at home. But it was recently auctioned to raise funds for Tusk, so there is now a blank space on the wall waiting to be filled.