Photo by thomaspeschak | What does it take to photograph a wild pangolin bathed in moonlight? The answer is time, sweat, and lots of help! For more than two months, I worked with pangolin scientist wendz222, roaming the vast, vegetated dunes of the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in pursuit of this photograph. When I started following Hercules, this large pangolin noted for its ability to rip open termite mounds with great ease, I stayed 50 feet away (15m) and used a long 500mm lens. Two weeks later, I was able to comfortably get within 30 feet (10m), and use shorter 70-200 mm lenses. The first real breakthrough came when one afternoon Hercules made a beeline for me and sniffed my feet. After a full month, I was photographing from just ten feet (3m) away using a 24-70 mm lens—but the image I had in mind required me to be closer. During this critical time, I walked away from countless opportunities, as any wrong move could erase all the trust I had painstakingly gained. As the seasons shi...