Shooting an Elephant
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300_elephantSeacoastNH.com Presents
Historic Portsmouth #300

This is my 300th weekly history photo in a row for the Portsmouth Herald. That got me wondering if I have ever done anything "historic" myself. This photo came to mind. Back in the 1980s, while running a creative Seacoast business, my company shot an elephant in our office. (continued below)

As the story goes, Andy Kaplan, owner of Kinderworks, wanted to prove that his locally-made children’s furniture was super sturdy. So he hired a baby elephant to stand on a table and he hired my colleague Ralph Morang to take the photo. Afterwards, our production team posed with the little guy. I don’t recall how we got him up to the second floor photo studio, but here is the unretouched results. From left to right: Illustrator Scott Hill, writer J. Dennis Robinson, the elephant, photographer Ralph Morang, and designer Ann Wilcox. (Courtesy RalphMorang.com)

Ideworks and elephant in 1989 featuring (left to right) illustrator Scott Hill, writer J. Dennis Robinson, photographer Ralph Morang and designer Ann Wilcox

Photo by Ralph Morang  / Ideaworks Creative Services 1989

MORE ON BABY ELEPHANT WALK

Hi Dennis. That elephant was so cute. I was working down stairs at Associated Buyers when the elephant was being photographed. The floors were not sealed and that cute baby did what babies do and peed. Several 50 pound bags of grain were ruined, all was taken care of and no big deal, just an addition to your story.
-- Rachel Leah