The Giants of Kitenden, 2022 (S), 2022

James Lewin  

"It isn't possible to visit Amboseli and not go searching for Craig. He has become a celebrity of Amboseli, with thousands of people travelling across the globe each year in the hope of catching a glimpse of his impressive tusks. I have made several portraits of Craig over the past few years. He remains a favourite subject because he is such a kind-natured individual, frequently approaching our stationary vehicle within a few feet.

His unbelievably relaxed temperament is as unique as his ivory, allowing me to compose my portraits with the camera in hand. With other tuskers I have had the privilege of photographing, I have relied on radio-triggered cameras positioned on the ground to achieve my intimate style of portraiture, which is a low percentage albeit an exciting method.

Using a modified vehicle, I could replicate the look and feel of a ground-level perspective of Craig whilst carefully composing this unique frame where two other bulls flank him as they all move towards a nearby waterhole.

Over the three weeks in Amboseli during July, Craig spent most of his time in a community conservancy named Kitenden, where he remained in dense vegetation for more than 90% of the time. After spending two full days by his side, hoping he would venture out into the open, I employed a local Maasai to watch Craig and notify me of his movements. Three days later, I got the call that he was moving out of the forest with a group of bulls. We immediately rushed to the scene to find Craig slightly ahead, leading the way. A few bulls split from the group opening a rare opportunity to create a group portrait with Craig as the focal point. After a few failed attempts, I finally aligned the elephants without overlap resulting in one of my favourite portraits of one of Africa's most iconic inhabitants.
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