In Sri Lanka, where elephants have long coexisted with people, one of the most respected wildlife photographers is urging his colleagues to put the well-being of animals above the desire to get a striking image. Ravindralal Anthonis, who recently turned 80, has spent decades observing individual male elephants with large tusks and giving them names, turning faceless "subjects" into recognizable individuals.
Anthonis began photographing back in the film era, when a roll held only 36 frames. This forced him to choose the moment carefully, study the animals' behavior and wait. Today digital cameras make it possible to take thousands of shots, but, according to him, this often leads to a loss of discipline: crowds of cars surround a single elephant, and photographers sometimes forget that they are in its home.
The issue became especially acute after the death of the well-known elephant Kawantissa from a gunshot wound. The public began talking about how public photo shoots can attract the attention of poachers or simply disturb the animals. Anthonis considers the problem complex, but sees its root in a loss of respect for nature.
Back in the 1950s he realized: to truly understand an elephant, one must follow it for years. That is how the names came about — Kublai Khan, Rudy, Patch, Roland. People remembered not just "an elephant in Yala" but the story of a particular animal, its character, its habits. This helped form an emotional connection and support for conservation.
Anthonis emphasizes: a good wildlife photographer above all studies the animal's behavior, does not try to provoke it, and always puts the animal's safety first. Photography should serve the cause of conservation, not merely fill social media feeds.
Today, when the number of photographers has grown many times over, the veteran urges the younger generation not only to hone their technique but also to take responsibility for the future of Sri Lanka's nature. Elephants are part of the national heritage, and their protection is directly linked to the well-being of the country.
When we give an animal a name and learn its story, it ceases to be a faceless part of the landscape and becomes a being for which one wants to take responsibility.
