Elephant Reflections, a beautiful book released by the University of California Press this past May, features gorgeous photography that transcends conventional nature photography. Providing a window into the intimate lives of elephants, the photos would be at home in an art gallery.

Captured by Karl Ammann, the photographs are categorized into themes such as “Colors,” “Textures,” and “Portraits.” The images beg to be scoured over, luring the reader to examine every detail.

The photos are accompanied by an eloquently-written text by Dale Peterson. Peterson’s text informs the reader about many of the captivating behaviors and societal norms of elephants. For example, elephants are thought to use infrasound for long-distance communication. The sounds are too low for humans to hear, but elephants can sense the vibrations from miles away using their large ears and the soles of their feet.

Children will be drawn to the large format photos, while parents and teachers will find the text enhances their appreciation of the images.

Purchase Elephant Reflections at Amazon.com.

You can also learn about elephants here at Animal Fact Guide. Check out our article: African Elephant.