We Stop for Elephants
I travel with 3 cameras – two Fuji XT series bodies with interchangeable lenses and my iPhone. Yes, the iPhone counts as one of my key cameras. It’s particularly useful in low light and for video. I’m experimenting here with the idea of starting each month with a safari video clip.
I’ve been asked “How close do you actually get to wildlife on safari? Did you use a big telephoto lens?”
Yes, sometimes my 400 mm lens with a 1.4 converter allows me to zoom in to an animal, but often the animal comes so close I don’t need it.
Today’s video star is Big Tusker Craig from Amboseli. Craig is one of Kenya’s most famous and most photographed bull elephants. He’s an ambassador for conservation and his species because of his enormous size (over 6 tons) and his massive tusks (each one weighs over 100 lbs.).
I was delighted to find Craig near our lodge the first day we arrived in Amboseli in June 2022. He played an important role in my encounter with the Amboseli Elephants in 2020. I’ve written a several stories about Craig including a description of his mud bath routine - An Afternoon at the Spa.
At 50 years, he is a wise elder renowned for his calm demeanour. Even though Craig was very chill around our safari vehicle last year, my heart was in my mouth as he sauntered by. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to be up close and personal with the largest mammal on earth.
Craig enjoying his mud bath
Excitement is building for our January Safari. I’m hoping Craig will be around again to welcome us when we return. Feel the call of the wild? I have a spot open for one male who would like to share a tent. Send me a note if you’d like to join me on safari January 21-31, 2024.
