It was later in the evening and we were on our last leg of the day’s game drive before returning to camp in Serengeti.
Located next to the parking log, this hippo pool and the river feeding it are about ten feed below the edge of the lot. Guard rails prevent visitors from slipping off of the sharp drop into the pool.
Our guide mentioned over-crowding of this infamous hippo pool, and warned us not to get too close to the guard rails since the loose gravel on the path to them is a bit tricky.
When we got out of the car, I could hear water splashing and grunting noises coming from the pool. Rushing to the pool, I turned on the camera, set the ISO and the exposure for the late evening light, took the lens cap off and flipped the lens hood forwards.
By the time I was at the guard rail the fighting hippos had just settled their dispute and the winner was getting ready to take the hippo version of a victory lap.
I raised the camera, aimed at the winner, quickly framed him in the corner with manual focus and in a blink of an eye he displayed his victorious pose, and I clicked. This was the only shot I took.