Doing Elephant Things

I photographed this elephant in Kruger National Park, and what I like most about the image is how completely it captures the character of the animal. There is no grand pose or dramatic confrontation here. Just an elephant being an elephant—muddy, expressive, slightly awkward, completely self-possessed, and full of personality. The posture, folded ear, trunk, and stance make the photograph less about spectacle and more about the small gestures that make time around elephants so memorable.