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A pair of giraffes delight newlyweds at Mara North Conservancy in Kenya

April 18, 2019 at 10:24PM

Can I have your name as you would like it to appear in print, and the town in which you live? Peter Engebretson, Minneapolis Where were you when you took this photo? What does it show? This picture was taken in the Mara North Conservancy, part of the broader Maasai Mara National Reserve in southern Kenya. This picture shows two giraffes that decided to forage on an acacia tree at the exact same angle at the exact same time! What equipment did you use—a phone or a particular camera? We used a Leica V-LUX, a high-tech point and shoot 12mp camera with a 24x optical zoom. How did you get this shot? Did you employ any particular technique: did you get low or high to change the angle, or wait just for the right moment? The opportunities for great shots are plentiful while on safari, and we were very lucky for this one. In the open air (sunroof!) canopy of the safari vehicle, we were simply at the right place at the right time for this perfectly timed shot. If we had tried to move closer or a different angle, the 2 giraffes would have moved on to a different tree! What struck you about this photo—why was it one you wanted to share with us? Of the 4,300 pictures we took, this was our favorite for the symmetry and similarities of the angles of the giraffes, but also the great contrast of the silhouettes against the more colorful, vast landscape. We also liked how it showed the intersection of both species trying to survive by needing to grow taller faster than the other in the harsh and unforgiving landscape. What do you want readers to know about the destination? Going on a safari for our honeymoon was an unforgettable experience, and one thing we wanted on our trip was ‘responsible tourism’ in the region. This meant, the companies/lodges we would be staying with employed, invested, collaborated, and/or were owned by the local people of the area. The Mara North Conversancy is very committed to the environment, wildlife, and the community. Could we have (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

THE Traveler: Peter Engebretson of Minneapolis.

The scene: Two giraffes feast on an acacia tree in the Mara North Conservancy, a nonprofit private wilderness that is a key part of the Maasai Mara ecosystem. The 61 acres is adjacent to Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve.

trip details: "Going on a safari for our honeymoon was an unforgettable experience, and one thing we wanted on our trip was responsible tourism in the region," Engebretson wrote in an e-mail. He and his wife, Kelly Engebretson, stayed only at lodges that employed, invested in and collaborated with or were owned by local people. "The Mara North Conservancy is very committed to the environment, wildlife and the community," he added. (Find more information on the conservancy at maranorth.org.)

Getting the shot: Engebretson says he was in the right place at the right time to snap this photo — under the canopy of his open-air safari vehicle. He used a Leica V-Lux camera to capture the moment. "Of the 4,300 pictures we took, this was our favorite for the symmetry and similarities of the angles of the giraffes, but also the great contrast of the silhouettes against the more colorful, vast landscape," he wrote.

More Viewfinders: See more reader travel photos at startribune.com/viewfinders.

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