Birgit Freybe Bateman

Texture of Africa (Kenya) (Print)

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Archival Giclee printing on Hahnemuehle Photo Rag Paper and archival framing
14.5" x 21" / 35.56cm x 53.34cm
Framed Price (Canadian Dollar): $475.00

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Ever since my first safari to Africa in 1974, I have dreamed of achieving an intimate close-up of the face of an elephant. Not only must one be in the right place, but have the right light and hope that the elephant cooperates. But despite many attempts over the years, not until the last safari in 2010, did I see the magic of the eyes and brow fill my viewfinder with such impact that I felt I was connecting with the soul of one particular animal. I was so overwhelmed that I lowered the camera after taking several images and just sat in awe, feeling its power, until the elephant family moved on. That moment will stay with me forever. This had not been a confrontation. We had seen the family moving along and our driver had anticipated the direction and stopped to wait for them to pass us. At the closest point the elephant turned towards me and that was my moment of truth. The subtlety of the rich browns and greys of the myriad small shapes on the thick skin and the lighting from the left side dramatizing the deep fissures and wrinkles, created a textural landscape.