Many photographers have specific visions in their heads that they want to capture in a photograph. Wildlife photographers have to rely mostly on luck to achieve any of these, as we never know what we are going to be presented with when we are in the field. But it’s photographing the unexpected that makes this art so addictive to some, so frustrating for others.

I have had this particular image in my head for a while, and finally this year nature presented me with the opportunity to capture it. These young giraffe bulls were “necking” (i.e. how giraffes fight with their heads and necks), not totally for real but more of a training session. The “fight” was so graceful they looked as if they were dancing, offering great photographic opportunities. Since I was mostly shooting against a rather cloudy sky I decided to overexpose to make it seem like they are fighting against a white background – I already knew I would turn these shots into high key monochrome.

This scene played itself out in the Naboisho Conservany in the Masai Mara – an area where there is a relatively high giraffe density.