5 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR ELEPHANT PHOTOGRAPHY

?Getting the opportunity to practice elephant photography on safari is one of the most unique and beautiful experiences a wildlife photographer could dream of. Quietly composing image after image. Watching the world’s largest land animal interact with its family and listening to the gentle rumble of their communication, staying with the family until the perfect soft light dances on their skin. All of this makes photographing elephants so unique. Follow these important tips below to help maximize your potential for leaving your safari with breathtaking images.?

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(Limited Edition Fine Art Print of 10 – “Power” – Derek Nielsen Photography)

PHOTOGRAPH FROM A LOW ANGLE

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Elephants are enormous so let their size stand out in your photographs. When the opportunity allows, open the door in your safari jeep and shoot lying on the floor. Bring a tripod or prop your camera against something to get a ground view. This is the best option if you can set up low on a walking safari safely. Some of my favorite photographs other photographers have taken are done using a remote with the tripod away from the jeep. If you are lucky, the curious animal will investigate your setup while you capture a few images. Only practice that technique where allowed, and be prepared to have your camera destroyed if it gets stepped on—risk vs. reward.?

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(Limited Edition Fine Art Print Of 6 – “Mom and Me” – Derek Nielsen Photography)

SHOW THE FAMILY DYNAMIC

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Of all the species in the world, elephants have some of the tightest family dynamics. Females often spend their entire long lives together, spearheaded by the matriarch. Groups can have several mothers to very dependent offspring. Show the affection. The love. The tenderness. This bond is one trait that makes elephants so beautiful and why elephant photography is so fun. Capture the juveniles playing or wrestling in the mud. Elephant babies are endlessly cute. Highlight their uncoordinated understanding of how gravity works. Make people fall in love with this highly emotional animal. Some of my photographs of this dynamic have been my audience’s favorite.?

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EMPHASIZE THEIR BEHAVIOR

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Elephant photography is compelling when the photographer can capture them in action. I have seen a single bull elephant push over a full-grown tree to get a better angle to scratch his itch. Elephants practice false charges to let viewers know who is in charge. Their ears go out, heads go up, and they kick dust to show they mean business. This is a golden opportunity to catch a unique image of an elephant showing off one of its most powerful body postures. (Always ensure you are with a?trained guide?knowledgeable about elephant behavior. An actual charge can be deadly)?

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One of the features we all know elephants for is their trunks. In the dry season, elephants draw in dust, spraying it all over their bodies to help protect them from heat and parasites. Capturing the expulsion of this dust creates wildly interesting images. Around water, even in the dry season, this trunk becomes a water cannon for playtime, keeping cool, and of course, drinking. Use these moments to create action shots, freezing the water mid-flight. For getting sharp images, I recommend a shutter speed of 1/2000 second. Overall they move pretty slowly, but when the action happens, a fast shutter speed will enhance your elephant photography, ensuring you won’t miss a moment.?

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(Limited Edition Fine Art Print Of 6 – “Beholder” – Derek Nielsen Photography)

THINK ABSTRACT

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Dialing in on iconic segments of elephants while not getting the whole animal in the frame produces gorgeous abstract elephant photography. Something about using parts of the tusks, trunk, ears, or skin with harsh light highlighting the features connects with audiences. Abstract wildlife photography allows the viewer to understand what they are looking at but still allows the imagination to fill in the rest.

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?Take a picture of a whole elephant. The viewer may see it and say, “yep, that’s an elephant,” and move on. Take an abstract picture of the same elephant but use only a portion of it, or maybe bring in the surrounding elements to paint a picture without giving it all away. See what you like better.?

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SPEND TIME WITH THEM

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Too often, while out on safari, I see jeeps approaching wild elephants, snapping a few photos, then driving off to the next attraction. Half of the magic of elephant photography is getting to spend time with these incredible animals. Let them touch your soul.?

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On my last trip to Tarangire National Park, I had the unique opportunity to photograph a small family of elephants in a dried river bed. A mother, her juvenile, and a newborn baby. The rest of the family was down the river, but I had only fifteen minutes to watch the mother teach the juvenile how to dig for water beneath the dried surface. Once she drew up enough water for herself, she let out a long grumble, and the baby came over to start nursing.?

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(Images taken in?Tarangire National Park, Tanzania)

Moments after the baby came over, the juvenile wanted some of mother’s milk, and she was not having it. Mom let out a loud trumpet to scold the older child. In retaliation, the youngster knocked over the newborn, who then let out its own pathetic sound. The entire interaction was so reminiscent of watching human family dynamics with children.?

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Allow the story to unfold. I have since told this story many times in presentations or simply sharing my encounter with friends. Getting a nice picture is a part of what we do as photographers and travelers. Spend time with them long enough to tell a story. Tell their story. Make people fall in love with them as we have.?

The best part of my encounter watching the small elephant family quarrel was in the end, and the juvenile stepped up when needed and helped push the baby up the opposite river bank. It showed that no matter how jealous it was of its baby brother or sister, it already knew how important family was.?

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(Image taken with?Canon R3?with?RF600mm f/4 IS USM)?(Limited Edition Fine Art Print Of 6 – “Glowing Serengeti” – Derek Nielsen Photography)

ELEPHANT PHOTOGRAPHY SAVES LIVES

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Your primary mission for going on safari to photograph wildlife, including elephants, may not be to raise awareness for conservation, but…every photo or story shared may help save an elephant’s life. The more we get people curious about what it would be like to be there, the greater chance they have to visit. The more people who visit, the more money gets put into the local economy, the national parks, and the people who help protect these living giants.?

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Elephant photography is more than just taking pictures of animals. It’s an opportunity to connect with the single largest land animal on the planet in its home. For more information on how to?get great images of nature, visit my detailed blog on the topic. If you are curious about the photos in this article, visit my gallery for more information. 15% of all my African wildlife photography sales go to?The Gabby Wild Foundation?to help protect African wildlife. Thank you for taking the time to join me. Together we can give elephants a fighting chance.?