.png)
Exhibition Member Highlights
Ancient Ivory
About the image
This photograph is special to me because I waited for what felt like forever in an underground hide, hoping the elephants would come close enough for the perfect photograph. After spending two whole days watching and waiting, this moment finally happened as the elephant stood beside the water. What drew me to take this particular photograph were the scars, scratches and scrapes covering its tusks. They showed the signs of a life lived in the wild and gave the ivory character and history. What makes the photograph even more meaningful is that I captured it on my birthday. The long wait made the photograph feel earned, and it became much more than just an image. It is now a lasting memory of my birthday, my patience, and one of my most memorable wildlife photography experiences.
SPECIES:
African Elephant - Loxodonta africana
How it was captured
Camera: Nikon D300S Lens: Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens Settings: 600mm F/6.3 1/3200sec ISO 3200
Photographer:
Age:
From:
Ruben Steyn
17
Gauteng
About the photographer
From a young age, I have loved being in the bush and spending time in nature. My photography journey began with my dad’s old point-and-shoot camera, which I used to photograph the animals and birds we encountered on family holidays. Then for my 14th birthday, I asked for my first proper camera and from that moment on, I was hooked. Today, I enjoy photographing whatever wildlife is in front of me. I aim to tell a story through behaviour, light, composition, technique, interaction, detail and surroundings. Being behind the camera allows me to slow down, forget everything else and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. I believe wildlife should always be respected before the photograph. My goal is to create images that make people look twice and appreciate the skill behind the shot. Ultimately, I hope to make photography my full-time career and win Wildlife Photographer of the Year one day.
PHOTOGRAPHER'S QUOTE
I want my photographs to do more than show beautiful wildlife; I want them to point people towards the ultimate Creator!
CONSERVATION MESSAGE
An elephant’s tusks are more than ivory they carry the marks and scars of a life lived in the wild. I hope this image reminds people that every elephant is valuable, and protecting them means protecting the stories and lives those tusks represent.