Patrick Freeman
Major: Earth Systems
Year: Junior

When taking photographs of a bull elephant at sunset, you are reminded that you are small. Armed only with a camera, you feel exhilaratingly vulnerable. The swish of his leathery skin and his nearly silent footfalls belie his bulk. But, as he looks down on you en route to the waterhole, you see the familiar glow of consciousness. The shutter clicks and he moves on as you let out the breath you’ve been holding for the past thirty seconds.

Experiences like this continue to fuel my passion for wildlife photography. As a passionate wildlife conservationist, I feel that I can help to preserve and protect animals by telling their stories to others, inspiring them to recognize the universalities that stretch across species.

“In the Company of Giants:” Never had I known the kind of peace that I experienced at the feet of these animals at dusk.

“Realities of the Bush:” A giraffe skull rests in the water hole at Kameel Doring in Etosha National Park, Namibia

“King of the Trough:” Etosha, Bull #100, enjoys a drink at dusk

“The Gentle Giant:” Brendan has some of the largest tusks in the population that we studied. His gentle nature and his penchant for avoiding conflict with other bulls allows him to avoid breaking his tusks.