Human–Elephant Interactions
Human–Elephant Interactions is an ongoing visual storytelling and research project exploring the complex relationship between people and elephants in shared landscapes. As human settlements expand into traditional elephant ranges, communities increasingly find themselves living side by side with one of Africa’s most iconic species creating moments of both conflict and coexistence. This project combines photography with social research, examining how the way images are framed can influence public perception of human–elephant relationships. Through a curated series of photographs, the work investigates how visual narratives shape attitudes toward elephants, conservation, and the communities that share their landscapes.
The research component involves presenting audiences with images that depict different perspectives of human–elephant interactions from conflict-driven scenes to moments of coexistence and studying how these visual frames influence people's understanding, empathy, and support for conservation solutions.At the heart of this work is the film Majirani, which brings the story to life through the voices of communities living within elephant landscapes. The film explores the challenges, resilience, and local leadership required to build coexistence, offering a deeper narrative behind the images.
Together, the photographs, research, and film seek to challenge dominant narratives and highlight the importance of human-centered conservation, where the experiences, perspectives, and solutions of local communities are recognized as essential to protecting elephants and sustaining the landscapes they share.
