"This young giraffe was no more than a few hours old," says award-winning wildlife photographer. "We watched at a distance as the young giraffe suckled, still wobbly on its legs before coming forwards towards us," captured with a 14-year-old DSLR camera

Black-and-white close-up of a giraffe calf standing between its mother’s front legs — The image *Under Mother's Guidance* wins the prestigious Remembering Wildlife Photographer of the Year award and showcases a touching moment between a giraffe mother and its newborn infant (Image credit: Tom Way/Remembering Giraffes)

Award-winning wildlife photographer Tom Way captured a heartwarming moment between a newborn giraffe calf and its mother. The beautiful black-and-white image shows the tiny calf standing beneath its mother's legs – a fleeting moment that may soon become a thing of the past.

Way explains, "This young giraffe was no more than a few hours old when we first found both the mother and infant in a small thicket close to the open plains of Kenya's famous Mara North Conservancy."

The touching scene was captured with a professional full-frame DSLR camera and a fast telephoto lens. Nikon has now announced the image as the winner of the prestigious Remembering Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.

'Under Mother's Guidance'

Tech info
Camera: Canon EOS 1D X
Lens: Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Accessories: Canon Extender EF 1.4x III
Exposure: 1/640sec, f/4, ISO 640

The story behind the still
Way says, "We watched at a distance as the young giraffe suckled, still wobbly on its legs before coming forwards towards us perfectly framed between the mother's legs."

He continues, "Although newly born, an average infant giraffe still measures 6ft in height, taller than the average human and, by growing around an inch a day, it will not be too long before this young giraffe would not be able to fit under its mother at all.

"At this age, newborns are extremely vulnerable and it requires a vigilant mother to raise their infant to adulthood."

Remembering Wildlife
Among more than 70 images, Way's photo is featured in the 11th book in the Remembering Wildlife series titled Remembering Giraffes.

All book profits are donated to conservation projects, with this year's proceeds supporting essential giraffe conservation. To date, the series has raised more than £1.28 million for conservation, supporting 86 projects across 36 countries.

As a proud sponsor, Nikon gifts Way a Nikon Z8 and a Nikon Z 180-600mmm f/5.6-6.3 VR. Discover all winning images; visit the Remembering Wildlife website.

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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Kim covers everything from breaking industry news and camera gear to the stories shaping photography today. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, she explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture.