Thug

2022

Image Story

There is more trial and error with rhino photography than any other species, they are too temperamental to guarantee any kind of idea I may have had.

When we originally released 'African Origins' in 2020, a few people asked me why we had not included any rhino images. The answer was simple, at the time of release there was nothing I had taken that could sit along side the quality of our other work.

Following my first trip to Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy in 2021, we released ‘Precipice’, taken on my first evening there that year, with two editions raising good sums at the Helping Rhinos event at the Royal Geographic Society.

Heading back just a few months later, I had a clear shot in mind; a white rhino, front on, taken from as low and as close as I could get without upsetting it. Organic behaviour, as ever, is paramount in my work.

For five days we followed various rhinos, with Sammy Kariuki, my exceptionally patient guide and Simon Nakito, one of Ol Pejeta’s expert rangers coming up with a novel plan.

Knowing I wanted to photograph from ground level, and with Simon able to identify rhino that were more amenable to being approached, Sammy suggested I walk along side our safari car, level with the front wheels, keeping the vehicle between myself and the rhino. We would approach from down wind, relying on the fact rhino have weak eye sight, then as we got close enough I would lie under the front bumper, indistinguishable from the car (as far as the rhino was concerned) and work away.

Mostly this resulted in ‘almost’ moments. The rhino would look up as Sammy cut the engine, view us with vague indifference and return to grazing. The key moment was the look up, it would generally only happen once, if I missed it then the chance was gone. Too often we either were not close enough, the light was wrong or the image just looked off. Until we met Kalite.

Having been desperate for a large male rhino all week, Kalite appeared on our final evening as two younger males engaged in a Herculean fight over a female. His sudden appearance ended the 45 minute tussle immediately, scaring the two younger challengers off before he wallowed in a mud bath, creating the rugged texture seen across his body.

We had an hour of light to work with and the perfect rhino, all that was needed was a little persistence.

Where he went we slowly followed, employing the same tactic we had all week. Kalite showed more interest in us than any rhino had previously, giving us cause to believe things might finally work in our favour.

And so it was, just after 6pm and a few minutes before the sun would finish its descent below the horizon, I lay under the bumper as Kalite lifted his head, took a step forward and appeared to gaze at the spot at which I lay.

For me, goosebumps, butterflies and jubilation. For him, mild disinterest upon realising I was nothing of concern. A moment that will live in my memory far longer than it will his.