Black & White tusks of an upcoming tusker

I set out with my guests late one afternoon to stop for a beautiful sundowner drink just north of the Sabie River which is in the most southern property of Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve. It was about 18h10, the sun was slowly starting to set when I spoke to my tracker and suggested we pass a small seasonal pan which was not too far from the spot where we wanted to stop, just in case we bumped into something interesting.

Upon arrival I was amazed. Never in my life have I had the opportunity to witness such a large bull elephant – a tusker - yet here in front of us stood this majestic animal with the largest tusks I have ever seen. Not only a first for my guests, but for myself as well. We sat in awe as he made his way to the seasonal pan to drink and cool himself off. All in preparation for a warm, humid summers night. A sighting none of us will ever forget.

Equipment Used

• Camera – Canon 7D mk ii
• Lens and Focal length – Canon-EF100-400mm f-4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 210mm

Settings used to capture this image

• ISO – 3200
• Aperture – f 5,0
• Shutter – 1/640

Editing used on this image

For such an image, creating a black and white picture is quite applicable... especially when focussing on objects like a large herbivore. To get the contrast of various shades as well as the texture of the animal’s hide by using the sunlight, especially as the light was fading, I upped the clarity because of the increased exposure. I added shadows and increased the dark tones and contrast to make the focal point the tusks and the trunk. Taking a photograph just before sunset can seem quite daunting, however a little trick is not to be afraid of increasing your exposure.