The elephant is smiling. He seems playful and cocky, as if
he knows the photographer is in the palm of his hand. Meanwhile, the human
subject seems to be wrapped around the photographer’s finger!
The man looks like a Danny, or a Caleb, or a Seamus- light
skinned features with a ruddy complexion and a thick body that was designed for
work. He is dressed like the cliché of a news anchor. Business on the top, he
wears a tie, a button-down shirt, and a sensible cardigan. However, below the
waist he could be mistaken for a pirate. His pants billow like a genie’s, and
there is a thick sash around his waist. This attire tells the viewer that he is
a performer, and a poor one at that. I suppose that makes it okay for his head
to be clenched in the jaw of an elephant… He’s a poor man, a poor soul, a
penniless tramp who’d do anything for a laugh and a buck.
The first glance at this photo obviously goes right to the
man’s head, or more correctly, the elephant’s grin around the man’s skull. But
a closer look begs the questions; “Where are the man’s legs? Are we looking at
a man not only down on his luck, but down two limbs as well?” Nope. They are
behind him. He’s bending at the knees for dramatic effect. In the same way, his
face looks clenched like he’s bracing for the vice of the elephant’s jaw to
juice it like an orange. But ultimately, the comfort between the man and the
elephant shines through enough that the photo can simply be enjoyed. It’s a
fun, rare sight that starts off with the thrill of perhaps seeing a moment of
horror and finishes with the glee of the impossible- a big dumb animal with the
discipline and agility to lift the man up by his skull without injuring him.
Photograph By Edward Kelty
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