The Departure Parade

Elephants have always fascinated me. I can't tell you exactly why — maybe it traces back to watching Dumbo as a kid. Yes, I still watch cartoons. They're a great escape, and their creativity never ceases to amaze me.

On the evening of our first full day in the Serengeti, we went searching for elephants. We were not disappointed.

They were everywhere. Big, bold, and unhurried — moving through the golden grassland like they owned every inch of it, which of course they do.

Watching the gentle sway of their bodies as they strolled through the grass was something I wasn't prepared for. It was mesmerizing in the quietest way.

I took this shot from the open-air vehicle we traveled in. What drew me to this particular frame was what was happening beneath the surface of it — the way the older elephants surrounded the younger ones. You can feel the protection in the geometry of it, the way a family closes around its smallest members without a word, without a signal, just instinct.

The overcast sky stripped everything back to what mattered. No dramatic shadows, no golden hour glow. Just the herd, the grass, and the quiet authority of their departure.