Camera: Sony A74

Lens: SONY 100-400 GM

Aperture: 5.6

Shutter speed: 1/2000

ISO: 100

Description: These image depicts two giraffes mating in Mara, with the female giving a direct look at my lens.

Story from behind the lens: One late morning we were driving back to camp, when we saw these giraffes from afar. Denis was quick to point out that they were mating, explaining that this is a rarity to see. I was also surprised to learn that they mate with a single big jumping thrust at a time, without staying in a mating position, so to speak. This meant that the mating moment was very brief, and that we only had a a couple of opportunities to capture them in the act, so to speak.. We quickly positioned the vehicle to get the best possible angle for a photo of this unique moment within the time constraint, and I was fortunate to catch the mating thrust and the female looking at the lens in the same shot. The title of this photograph captures the fleeting nature of how giraffes mate, I think.