The Story Of Girafinha - Escape From Africa

Giraffe Animal Portrait Photography Black And White

The Story Of Girafinha – Escape From Africa

A lonely Sunday morning in my studio. I was watching a spider on the wall while wiping dust off the bulbs of some flash lights. Usually a job for my first 2nd female assistant. But she left me for a more famous photographer. GIRLS! No loyalty!

*knock *knock

The knocking sound from the front door did cut my summertime sadness off. There she was – Girafinha. Standing tall, but shy.

In broken English she babbled “Eh … you photographer ???”

“Yeah, I think so. At least it’s written on my door” was my answer.

In her African accent Girafinha continued: “Well, I’d need a passport photograph. Things are getting tight down in Africa. The Rhino-Gangs are killing us because we have freckles and are different or whatsoever. I’m the last one of my family. They are after me. Time for me to cross borders”

“OK, a quite common story” I replied.

I positioned her in the center of the studio on a small chair and ordered her to cross legs. I had to climb the office table to get on eye-level with her.

*click *click

Minutes later I handled her over the small prints. Usually a job for my first 2nd female assistant. But, see above…

Girafinha walked out with a shy ‘Thanks’. I was back to my summertime sadness. The spider still was there. Mr. Jack Daniels from Tennessee helped me to make my day.

—————–

Months later I received a card from the States. San Francisco Zoo. An African giraffe pictured on the front. On the backside was noted: “Eh, photographer. It’s me, Girafinha. I made it. I’m safe now” . The card was signed with a big smiley.

The spider still was there. My first 2nd female assistant never came back. Who cares? Sometimes it makes you feel good to be a photographer.

Once more Mr. Jack Daniels was lifted out of the office table’s drawer …

On the radio there was Uriah Heep … “she came to me one morning, one lonely Sunday morning … her long neck was flowing in the mid-summer wind …