PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Rahul Sachdev | Together in Light and Shadow

Name: Rahul Sachdev
Picture title: Together in Light and Shadow
Category: People’s Choice
Nationality: India
Occupation: Full-time photographer and tour guide. I’ve been taking photos for 20 years.

Technical information
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon 400mm f2.8
EXIF: 1/8000 @ f/5 and ISO 500
Accessories: –

Rahul Sachdev says:

This photograph captures two giraffes moving together through a haze of dust, their elegant silhouettes standing out sharply against the monochrome background. The contrast between their towering forms and the billowing dust creates a dreamy, almost surreal atmosphere — a blend of grace, strength, and vulnerability that speaks of camaraderie and resilience in the wild, where every movement is part of a larger rhythm of survival and coexistence.

I made this image in Solio Game Reserve in Kenya, a private reserve nestled between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains. Solio is world-renowned not only for its rhino conservation but also for the abundance of other wildlife, including the reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata), easily recognized by its sharp, polygonal coat pattern edged in white.

The idea for this frame emerged as I watched a small group of giraffes crossing a dry patch of land where loose dust drifted through the air. I realized that by positioning myself with the light behind the dust clouds, I could transform the moment into something more abstract and artistic. Rendering the photograph in black and white removed distractions and emphasized the sculptural forms of the giraffes and the ethereal texture of the dust. By slightly underexposing and using a longer focal length, I achieved the strong silhouettes and atmosphere I had envisioned.

The two giraffes walked quietly together, likely moving between feeding grounds. With each step, their steady gait lifted small clouds of dust from the dry earth, creating the natural backdrop that completes this scene. Their calm companionship highlights the subtle social bonds giraffes often maintain, whether between females and their offspring or smaller groups traveling within a larger herd.