The Matriarch

A Portrait

African Wildlife Fine-Art Photograph

It is a hot and sticky day, as we bumble along the potholed ridden track, everyone is relaxed, it is our third day of safari, and the everyday stress that had accompanied us here has slipped away like a shadow in the midday sun. 

Magnificent cumulonimbus clouds tower above us, the smell of rain is in the air, a welcome whisper of cool wind washes over us. The air becomes charged with excitement as the first rumbles of the afternoons' storm permeate throughout the sanctuary. 

My eyes are composing pictures everywhere I look, trying to find something of interest to share with my clients. 

In the distance, I see dark chocolate shapes of elephants — a small herd ambling along in a line, grazing.  As we got closer, I realised the elephants had struck a rich vein of sweet green grass by the roadside. 

I put my hand on Benson's arm, slow down and stop here, I say. He replied we are still away off from the elephants? 

I turned to my guests and told them to put on a shorter focal length lens on their cameras. 

They too, queried my decision to stop? I said, trust me. We waited patiently. The elephants continued to stroll towards us, silently on their giant cushion padded feet.

My reasoning is simple, wildlife like people have a comfort zone; if you enter that zone without permission, a flight or a fight situation occurs. By stopping away from the elephants, they are entering our comfort zone; the elephants are well aware of our presence, if we are quiet and relaxed, they will walk calmly towards and pass us, allowing us to capture unique photographs. 

I had purposely stopped in a natural depression in the road, knowing that if the elephants continued on their course, we would be eye to eye with them which always make for a more engaging portrait.

You could almost sense their joy as they grabbed at tufts of grass, expertly knocking off the loose soil on the inside of their trunk before eating the luscious vegetation.

I hadn't noticed her at first as she had her back to us, My chest began to beat faster, my senses were heightened, excitement washed over me. I had always wanted to photograph an elephant with long tusks, and I always assumed it would be a male. 

The Matriarch had the longest tusks I had ever seen on a female elephant.

It is the most amazing and humbling experience to be in such proximity to an elephant herd. The elephants were all around us, and they were relaxed, and so were we. 

The moment I had hoped for, silently began to unfold in front of me, I was worried about not having enough focal length, I turned the camera to portrait and breathed a sigh of relief — just enough room within the frame. 

The Matriarch turned towards me, we were eye to eye, as she reached for another bunch of grass. One of my guests, let a small yelp of delight as a baby elephant reached their trunk towards her. The Matriarch reacted by extending ears; at that moment all the elements needed to create a compelling portrait came together, the Matriarch was front on, eye to eye, ears out, trunk slight curled at the tip, I held my breath, and pressed the shutter. I breathed a sigh of both relief and joy. 

Author Peter Delaney