The Arrival | Limited Edition

The Story Behind The Arrival

Lying on the ground in front of this giant was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life.

Earlier that afternoon, my tracker had already positioned us in front of a herd of elephants. We spent hours photographing them, but for some reason, I wasn’t satisfied. I felt there was still another image waiting to be created.

When I mentioned this to my tracker, he smiled and said, “Of course your not satisfied.

Let’s wait by the waterhole. Around this time, another group of elephants should come to drink.”

The waterhole sat roughly 400 feet from the dirt road. We left the truck behind and walked across the open ground. There were no trees nearby, which meant we would be able to see the elephants approaching from a distance. I was carrying my 600mm lens, expecting to photograph them from afar.

When we arrived, my tracker gave us permission to move onto a dry patch inside the waterhole once the elephants appeared. Looking at the scene, I immediately realized something. The waterhole was only about twenty to twenty-five feet in circumference. I might never again have an opportunity to be this close to wild elephants.

Then panic set in.

I looked down at my camera and knew the 600mm lens would never work I would never get that personal look I so longed for. I needed a wide-angle lens.

I told my tracker, and he quickly pointed out the obvious problem. By the time I ran back to the truck, changed lenses, and returned, the elephants would already be standing at the waterhole.

I ran anyway.

I sprinted back to the truck, climbed into the back seat, grabbed my 35mm lens, switched lenses, and ran back across the open ground. This time the camera was lighter, but the tension was much heavier. The elephants were approaching at almost the same pace I was.

I did not want to discover whether they would tolerate my presence.

Fortunately, they had little interest in me.

As soon as I reached the waterhole, I climbed onto the small dry patch, almost lay flat on the ground.

What happened next is difficult to describe.

The elephants were enormous. At that distance, they felt less like animals and more like moving landscapes. Every step shook the ground beneath me. I was aware that if one of them decided to walk directly through the waterhole, there would be nowhere for me to go.

Yet, strangely, I felt calm.

I began speaking to them the same way I speak to my fashion models. Of course, they didn’t understand my language.

But after a while, I felt as though I was beginning to understand theirs.

The tension disappeared. The fear faded. There was only respect.

A few moments later, this elephant stepped forward, lowered its trunk toward the water, and gave me the image I had hoped for.

This photograph is not simply about an elephant.

It is about the moment fear gave way to connection, and a stranger in Africa was allowed, for a brief second, into the presence of something far greater than himself.