A few times a year, I force myself to leave the country. For me, it’s the four Rs: A chance to relax, reflect, refocus your energy, and remind yourself why you work so hard.

I spent a month in Kenya this spring, and two days after I hit the ground, I was on a bus to Masai Mara, the enormous wildlife reserve on the Kenya/Tanzania border. After all, what self-respecting photographer can pass up a chance to see the greatest animals on earth in their natural habitats?

I brought my Canon 5DII on this trip, as the Hassy proved much too bulky and inflexible for this scenario, and I was really happy with the Canon results on my Morocco trip last year. I was actually shocked to see that almost everyone on safari was shooting with small point-and-shoot digitals, save the always-prepared Japanese tourists.

My jeep driver, Lawi, was incredibly accommodating, and had an impeccable sense of timing. We spotted cheetahs chasing antelope, a family of lions taking down a buffalo, and huge, mind-blowing elephants—creatures so wildly beautiful the camera can’t even do them justice. Seeing a wild elephant up close (we were 6 ft away) makes you feel like you’re in Lord of the Rings…they are officially now my favorite animals on earth.

Index:
1: Storm on the Mara
3: Wildebeasts
8: Lilac-breasted Roller
11-13: Lions hunting & killing African buffalo
14: Masai Mara at sunset