Greg’s car had broken down – he was alone in the bush and it was getting dark.
But the location was perfect. Stranded on the edge of Kenya’s Lake Nakuru, he could see about 200 great white pelicans settling down to roost. To get a view from the birds’ eye level, he lay down at the lake’s edge (alert to the danger of emerging hippos) and composed his shot. He decided on a long exposure to capture the atmosphere and timed it to include a pelican flying in. ‘I would look down the valley to see if one was approaching. When I figured it was about three seconds away from being in the frame, I tripped the shutter.’ A burst of flash was just powerful enough to create the ghostly impression of one of the stragglers, with the last of the ambient light reflected off the Rift Valley wall behind.
South Africa
Greg has spent the last 20 years photographing exclusively in Africa, waiting for the perfect light, subject, background and behaviour to coexist in singular moments. He specialises in low light and slow shutter speeds. He won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year grand title in 2013 and is one of Africa's most sought-after photographic safari guides.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
