“Big tusker” is a term used to describe elephants with tusks that weight more than 100 pounds each, and are so long they graze the ground as the elephant walks (the heaviest ever tusk for an African elephant was 226 lbs). The last of the true big tuskers live in an area of Tsavo National Park in Kenya. They are nearly gone due to their desirability to hunters and poachers. I photographed these two elephants in the Masai Mara of Kenya. They aren’t exactly in the big tusker category, but they did have the longest tusks of any elephants we saw on this recent trip, especially the bigger of the two in the foreground. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 125mm) ISO 320, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
Yeah, we had a few skies like this with that light filtering through the clouds. Luckily, while in Africa, it’s never difficult to find subjects to put in front of it.
If their tusks are too big they get shot. If their tusks aren’t big enough, they get passive aggressive praise on Sean Crane’s photo blog. It feels like these elephants can’t win.
Beautiful, with the light rays illuminating the elephants and their savannah. It breaks my heart every time I see a photo of a carved tusk. So selfish of humans.
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“Big tusker” is a term used to describe elephants with tusks that weight more than 100 pounds each, and are so long they graze the ground as the elephant walks (the heaviest ever tusk for an African elephant was 226 lbs). The last of the true big tuskers live in an area of Tsavo National Park in Kenya. They are nearly gone due to their desirability to hunters and poachers. I photographed these two elephants in the Masai Mara of Kenya. They aren’t exactly in the big tusker category, but they did have the longest tusks of any elephants we saw on this recent trip, especially the bigger of the two in the foreground. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 125mm) ISO 320, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
Great image, Sean. Love the habitat with the filtered rays of sunshine hanging in the background. A nice mix of landscape & wildlife photography!
Yeah, we had a few skies like this with that light filtering through the clouds. Luckily, while in Africa, it’s never difficult to find subjects to put in front of it.
If their tusks are too big they get shot. If their tusks aren’t big enough, they get passive aggressive praise on Sean Crane’s photo blog. It feels like these elephants can’t win.
It must be awful to carry that weight around.
Stunning. Just … stunning. What an honor to see these beauties in real life! Thank you for sharing, Sean!!!
Thanks Jenn, and yes always an honor.
The rays coming through the clouds makes the shot. Wonderful.
Thanks Rachel, I agree. I was working hard to get a low perspective with these two elements, but it was the sky that was the star of the show.
Beautiful, with the light rays illuminating the elephants and their savannah. It breaks my heart every time I see a photo of a carved tusk. So selfish of humans.