STEPHEN KENNY

Nikon D7200

Sigma 150 – 600 mm lens

STEPHEN WRITES: I was at Chobe River Lodge in Namibia’s Zambezi Region in May 2019. It was very dry at the time; the water level of the Chobe was just high enough to go out in a boat.

A herd of elephants crossed the river from Botswana to Namibia at dusk. This one emerged from the water and walked up the riverbank. My settings: shutter speed

1/1 000 second, aperture f8, ISO 140.

TOAST SAYS: Scenes like this attract tourists to the Chobe River on the Namibian and Botswanan sides of the border. There are always enough elephants to photograph next to the Chobe. (If not, you might be on the wrong Chobe…) You can also take your photo from a unique angle. When you’re in a boat on the river, you’re often on the same level as your subject (or just below, like in Stephen’s case). A silhouette photo is easier to get when you’re shooting up at your subject, because it makes the animal stand out against the sky. The landscape of the Chobe area also counts in your favour. The open, often tree-less floodplain next to the river lends a sense of depth to your photograph, and your silhouette will pop against the background.

The boat is also easy to position in the water, and you can ask the skipper to move around. Late in the afternoon, when the sun sets in the west, you just need to find an elephant between you and the horizon and your iconic elephant shot is in the bag!

I like two details here: the one tusk that is etched so sharply, and the dust, which picks up the golden light and adds a little magic to the scene. Good job, Stephen!