Winners OF The 2017 Smithsonian’s 14th Annual Photo Contest

Natural World Category Winner: Look Me In The Eye

“I am always looking for unique ways to showcase the beauty of elephants in the hope that it will make a difference in the way they are viewed and appreciated. This image was taken when a herd of elephants came down to the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana for an afternoon drink. The opportunity presented itself as the trunk of the elephant in the foreground framed the eye of the elephant in the background. I focused on the eye, and with some creative cropping, was very pleased with the final result.”

Photo: Prelena Soma Owen