I hope you have enjoyed the holiday season and are looking forward to 2018! Since I post a lot of my best images throughout the year on Instagram and Facebook on this last day of 2017 I thought would post some of my best experiences of the year rather than my best images of the year.
The year started off in Kenya, on safari, hosting the family of a great client and friend. It was the perfect way to start off 2017.
In April I spent 3 weeks traveling all through Namibia. While visiting the Bushman we were invited to witness a healing dance. Through the beautiful singing and dancing the experienced shamans moved from person to person, laying hands on them to draw out the illness. It was emotionally fascinating.
We were very lucking to find the rare desert adapted elephants in Northern Namibia.
After Namibia I headed back to Kenya for the Turkana Festival. On our way we stopped in Samburu, one of my favorite reserves in Kenya. On our last morning just as the sun rose and lit up the landscape we spotted three cheetahs that we suspected may come down to drink. After a short drink they bolted through the river straight at us. A once in a life time sighting.
This was my 4th year to attend the Turkana Festival. I have written a previous blog pots on this beautiful tribal festival for peace, here. This year I was able to arrange to bring some of my warrior friends from the Samburu village to come this us, which I also wrote about in the pervious post. They had been in fear of the Turkana Tribe, but were dancing with them by the end of the festival as captured in this image.
Many of you know that Amboseli is another of my favorite reserves. Mount kenya was out and the sun was rising when I spotted this beautiful elephant. We raced down the road and around to the other side of him. Just then another vehicle pulled behind him right in our shot. We raced forward and were able to captured this shot moments before he crossed the road.
This was my 14th migration season in the Mara and I upped the game by bringing in a helicopter, which landed right in our camp to pick us up. It was mind blowing to spend an hour above the migration and I wrote about the experience here. Just after the last group landed we raced to one of the most epic crossings of the season. I am already looking forward to my 15th Great Migration Safari Season in 2018
After the migration season we headed to Rwanda. The country is stunningly beautiful and one of the biggest success stories in the world. We were able to trek up to see momma Africa and her 3 week old baby. As only 8 people a day can visit her each day and they grow so quickly, this was incredibly special.
One of the most exciting adventures of the 2017 was to Chad for the Guerewol courtship ritual competition of the Wodobee tribe. This is a country I will be exploring further and I will write about the experience soon.
After Chad I headed to Botswana and we were blessed to find the wild dogs with puppies. Not even the guides had seen them yet.
We were on our way back to camp, late morning as the light was becoming harsh, when we spotted a leopard sitting in the shade of a bush. We were trying to capture some portraits working with the little light we had when he suddenly got up and marched towards some Guineafowl. They flew into the air and he lunched himself vertical, completely airborne, and grabbed one out of the air. No one got the shot, but it was one of the craziest things I have ever seen from a leopard.
The Chobe River is one of the top wildlife experiences in Africa. This year we had incredible elephant crossings, but this one of the elephants at play in the last light of the day was spectacular.
On our last morning we were watching a playful group of baboon when this little one popped it’s head out.
On our last boat safari we got lucking to have a few hippos active just as the light was glowing across the water.
In October I decided to take my first vacation in a decade and flew to the coast of Kenya with its white sand beaches and turquoise water and traditional sailing boats. It was a week of bliss and serenity especially since my laptop crashed my first few days there.
In November I made my way to London for the Remembering Rhino’s book launch and signing, which was one of the most magical events of my career. I posted about the event here.
One of the personal highlights was winning the African Wildlife Category for Natures Best Photography. I flew in to DC for the awards at the Smithsonian where the image will be on display for the year and it was used on the cover.
May you all have an adventurous 2018 filled with life changing experiences!
Good Morning Piper,
Enjoying my first day in Morocco by recovering from the 30 hour travel experience from Dallas, Texas.
Congratulations on the photo award and I thoroughly enjoyed your 2017 letter and seeing the great photos
and enjoying reading about your experiences.
Wishing that 2018 be an exciting year and many great photos.
Larry Ehemann
Piper, your photos are incredibly beautiful. Just in this selection you have 3 of my favourites, Cheetah, Wild Dogs and of course Elephants. I even recognise one of the Namibian Bushmen from a trip I did way back in 2009. Now that I realise it’s been so long since I visited Africa and seeing your wonderful photography, I feel it is time to revisit.
Congratulations on your awards. I do hope your photography will be part of the ‘Remembering Great Apes’ project. All the best for a beautiful and successful 2018.