Camera: Canon 5D mk 2

Lens: 100-400mm

Aperture: f 6.3

Shutter speed: 1/320

ISO: 100

Description: Giraffe mother and calf take time to reflect in the early morning light on the Talek river.

Story from behind the lens: A few minutes before breakfast, I was sipping coffee on the Rekero deck, enjoying the early morning bird sounds and hippos in the river below. This giraffe slowly appeared and came down to the bank of the Talek. With more caution than normal, she scanned the area, without taking a drink. A few moments later, her calf approached, explaining why she had been more cautious than usual. Water levels were low, creating an almost perfect mirror image. Peacefully, minus the hippo who did not love the idea of two tall blondes sharing his pool, the pair stood on the riverbank, allowing me time to grab my camera and capture this moment. It was as if the pair were literally taking time to reflect in the early morning light and peace of the still pool of the river. After a few moments of reflection, the mother and calf both drank, then crossed over the Talek, onward into the day with a clear and fresh mind. My guests and I could not help but do the same, reflecting on what we had just seen, our present, past, and what lay ahead of us.