Elephants

[Spalea]

David Yarrow: " The Desert Army⁣

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I am sad to be leaving after a successful 25 days in East Africa, but looking forward to returning to my family and home town in Devon, England for the Bank Holiday Weekend.⁣
This is what Amboseli has to offer and when it does, I think it is unrivalled as a spectacle in the natural world. A battalion of elephants in one seamless, cohesive unit charging through the desert. To see this scene played out is a real privilege and one that should always get the adrenaline flowing. ⁣⁣
I find myself reaching for military metaphors, but this spectacle is accompanied by an eerie silence and the serenity of the desert is not compromised. I sense that The Desert Rats, the byname for the 7th Armoured Division, would have made more noise in their celebrated campaign against Rommel in North Africa in 1941.⁣⁣
The photographer’s job, when encountering such a desert army of elephants, demands quick thinking on positioning and a really strong relationship and understanding with his driver. We have been in this situation a few times and one potential variable is now a constant - we use a 200mm lens. Anything shorter is too loose and going for more compression risks cutting off some of the army.⁣⁣
This is not an easy image to capture and I did have a cigar that night. Maybe like General Harding or indeed General Rommel. "

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