If you have your eyes set on island-hopping throughout the Lamu Archipelago or venturing on some of the most thrilling wildlife safaris in the New Year, we have good news for you: travel to Kenya is about to get a little bit easier.
Behind the image: wildlife photographer Lara Jackson on capturing Kenya’s threatened rhinos
27.11.2023 - 10:45 / nationalgeographic.com
Lara Jackson is an award-winning wildlife photographer, conservation biologist and presenter who documents critically endangered species for NGOs and conservation organisations. Her work spans more than a decade and has taken her to some of the world’s wildest places, including the tropical rainforests of Belize and the dry savannahs of East Africa. Here, she shares the story of Kenya's white rhinos and why this sunset shot means so much to her.
During my master's degree in wildlife conservation, I specialised in rhino feeding ecology. I’ve been obsessed with rhinos ever since, so whenever I come across one on safari, I have to spend time with it. I took this image in Ol Pejeta, a wildlife conservancy in north-central Kenya that’s home to the world’s two remaining northern white rhinos, and 44 southern white rhinos.
When we came across this lone bull grazing, it’d been a really quiet day. The conditions weren’t great — it was hazy, and we hadn’t seen much wildlife — so I asked if we could stop and watch the rhino for a while. The rhino started walking up a hill, which meant we were below it and in the perfect position for a silhouette shot. Then suddenly, the sun appeared between the clouds, turning everything orange, and a flock of birds started flying around the rhino as he lifted his head slightly. It was the most beautiful scene I’d ever seen.
I used my Nikon Z9 with the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6. A lot of photographers swear by prime lenses, but I really love zoom lenses because they allow you to be really flexible with the situation. In the natural world, you can never predict what’s going to happen, so being able to respond quickly is really important.
Positioning was also very important for this shot. The rhino was 650 feet away from us, which enabled us to get out of the car. I’ve spent a lot of time studying rhinos, so I knew it was relaxed and comfortable. To get a good silhouette, you need to get as low as possible. I had to crouch down and lay the camera flat on the floor. I then made use of the Z9’s four-axis tilting monitor, tilting it horizontally to 90 degrees so I could shoot at a low angle with ease.
Rhinos — especially white rhinos — are really hard to photograph. Their heads are always really low to the ground for grazing, so it’s rare to see images of a rhino with its head lifted. That’s the beauty of wildlife photography — you have no control over the subject. When everything aligns and you have that moment of perfection, it’s such a special feeling. This was one of those rare moments when you take the photo and you know you’ve got a winner.
I feel like rhinos don’t get as much love as other protected species. They’re such incredible creatures and have their own individual
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