On a recent trip to Africa, I had several opportunities to photograph animals in the wild. The enthusiasm of the moment dictated the photos – Oh, look! An elephant! Click! – and it wasn’t until I was home that I had time to see what I had snapped.
Mindful that I was unlikely ever to visit Africa again, I took lots of pictures of animals. There were 75 shots of elephants, for example. Elephant families. Elephants solo. Elephants drinking. Elephants playing. Elephants eating. Elephant heads. Elephant butts. Elephants getting photobombed, all framed by the grasslands of Botswana and northern Namibia.
Why did I take so many photos of elephants?
We want to remember these moments, and a camera helps but isn’t essential. We also want to share them.
A skilled storyteller can bring an elephant to life for an audience that has time to listen. For most of us, though, a photo serves as our way of saying, “This moment was special to me, and I’d like to share it with you.”
Elephants. High school football games. New babies. We don’t need to see all 75 shots, maybe, but it’s good to share.
What a grand adventure! And as always your photos are gorgeous!
I love the photos you shared, Carla! I hope you’ll share more stories and photos of your trip! I am enjoying your posts!