This shot was taken on the Chobe River in Botswana, Africa. My son and I took this trip of a lifetime in October of this year. It’s been a dream of mine to see and photograph some of the African animals. One evening, we were on a small boat on the river just before sunset. We spotted three giraffes somewhat near the riverbank. As we slowly got closer, the giraffes became more wary of our presence. We stayed very still, and a long “staredown” was underway.
After what seemed like forever, one giraffe slowly started walking toward the sun. We did get some nice silhouette shots on that occasion. When the giraffe passed the sun, it stood very still while waiting for the other two to follow. They refused. By this time, the sun was nearly set. The giraffe then slowly headed back toward his/her companions, and this was when I was fortunate to get a shot of what appears to be the giraffe stepping over the setting sun.
It was such a beautiful and fortunate experience! This once-in-a-lifetime encounter is permanently etched in my memory. The image serves as a constant reminder of the awe-inspiring beauty of the African wilderness and the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures and their habitats.