A Flick of the Tail

Maasai Mara Kenya 2010
An edition of 75 in all sizes

A Flick of the Tail was awarded in 2011’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year and chosen as the cover image of that year’s portfolio book.

This print was initially released as run of seventy-five some ten years ago after its success in that competition. It prints crisp and sharp and it remains so even to large sizes. It's proven to be a seminal picture, not knowing where it would take me at the time. If I could credit where I am today to one picture, this is that picture.

A Flick of the Tail was taken in November 2010. It was almost noon, the sun was high. There were several giraffes in open space, one nearby had flicked its tail and there was another in frame, far off in the background. There was a picture possibility but it was a case of pausing to see if it would repeat it's tail flick for the picture. The wait felt long and the lens was becoming heavier and less steady while all the time I willed both giraffes to remain in place. Finally, after an indeterminate wait, it flicked its tail once more for one more picture and that’s the one you see here.