Stories about the power of nature to heal both ourselves and our environment, is one of the goals of my wildlife photography.

The choice to process an image in black and white comes with experimentation post processing. What is my intention? How can I best convey the mood, the emotion? Here’s the story behind my decision to choose black and white for this image of a magnificent bull elephant from Amboseli.

There is a visceral sense of joy and healing that comes with African singing and dancing. When I’m in Kenya and people begin to dance, I can’t help but join in. My feet tap, my head and shoulders bob to the music. I sing along even when I don’t know the language. It is contagious! It is joyful. It connects us to others. It builds community.

If Audrey Hepburn were an animal, I think she’d be a giraffe. Giraffes win the prize for elegance, beauty and grace. Those big eyes, those long lashes, that neck and super long legs! The tallest mammal on earth, it amazing to see them grazing the acacia treetops in the wild.

Unfortunately, it has barely rained in northern and southern Kenya since 2020. The drought is devastating for wildlife and pastoralists alike. Animals are dying from lack of food and water. I was shocked when I visited Samburu country in the north and Amboseli in the south last June.

Do you have a favourite photo? Take a minute to think about an image you treasure. What do you notice? How do you feel as you look at the picture? Stay with it for a moment. Resist the urge to scroll on. I suspect there is a story that goes with your choice.

Elephants, like us, need community and friends to heal from trauma and loss. There’s proof. This week National Geographic published a study about the power of friendship and survival in orphaned elephants. Look at these orphaned baby elephants at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Kenya – does it look like they are having a good time?

Watching Craig and his four young bodyguards browse on thorny acacia bushes was a fascinating lesson in elephant nutrition and etiquette.

I spotted dozens of dust devils dancing across the flat Amboseli plain as our 12-seater plane banked and turned to prepare for landing. Amboseli has been alive in my imagination since I left in January 2020. The elephants that call this region home transformed my life focus 2.5 years ago.

I am over the moon. My first order of books arrived this weekend! Two and a half years ago I had an extraordinary encounter with the elephants of Amboseli. I returned home changed, committed to use my images and story to speak up for elephants and wildlife conservation. The Wisdom of Elephants is the result of this intention.

Sex on the savanna is a fascinating subject. On Day 2 of my safari in Amboseli, Pilipili leaned over the front seat and pointed to a large bull elephant heading our way. “Can you smell him?” he whispered.

I am filled with gratitude for the comments from advance readers and pre-order purchasers of The Wisdom of Elephants. People are affirming what I believe; we care about elephants, we care about conservation, we care about books that give back for good.

Celebrate Mother’s Day this year with a gift of The Wisdom of Elephants ! Elephants are devoted mothers – family is everything to them.

Spring is here in Southern Ontario. The early daffodils are appearing like bright yellow spotlights highlighting the coming season. Daffodils are like a hallelujah flower chorus shouting Yes! Life! I plant a couple of hundred daffodil bulbs every fall. It’s a ritual I’ve carried out for close to 40 years.

Happy Earth Day! I’d love to hear how you celebrate. When we lived in the country, we planted a tree each year to mark Earth Day. Our earth friendly actions impact nature, whether it’s planting insect and bird friendly perennials in the garden or making conscious choices at the grocery store, collectively our actions make a difference.

Last week I got some exciting news. I learned the name of the adult female elephant on the book cover is Hatsy! Dr. Winnie Kiiru, who wrote the Foreword to The Wisdom of Elephants, asked researcher Dr. Cynthia Moss if she could identify the lead elephant on the cover.

It’s decision time in my book project. Last week I uploaded 20 test pages to the printer in Calgary AB. I was thrilled to open the front door a couple of days later and find a package on my doorstep. This project is no longer living on my computer – it has entered the next dimension of publishing reality.

The world has lost another Big Tusker. These animals represent a group of African elephants with huge tusks unique to the Amboseli and Tsavo regions of southern Kenya.

This is a dark time in world history. My heart breaks to read about the senseless murder of innocent people and mass destruction. Here’s the good news, as humans we are more inclined to help and be compassionate than to kill and be cruel.

My book, The Wisdom of Elephants is back from the book designer and the pdf draft is in the hands of beta readers in Kenya. I never imagined I would publish a book. It is happening, it’s coming together!