A trip of a lifetime, preserved
Storyteller: Katie Lasak, United States
When photographer Katie Lasak and her mother finally made it to the Serengeti, the result was a stunning record of one of Africa's most extraordinary landscapes. From cheetah families hunting in the rain to the drama of the Great Migration, every image tells a story. Here, she walks us through the images from her MILK Magazine that stopped her in her tracks.
Why did you create your keepsake?
For my mother's 73rd birthday and to honor our trip to Africa together.
What image do you love most from your keepsake?
It's so hard to choose, because so many of the lion cub photos are top for me, but my favorite image has to be the cheetah family sitting together in the rain. Cheetahs were my top animal to see (after lions), and the day we got to Central Serengeti, we found a family of 3 cheetahs, looking to hunt. I never thought I'd ever see a cheetah hunt and run in the wild, and I was just thrilled to be with them.
The afternoon rain rolled in, and we followed this family as they stalked a herd of gazelles. Some of my favorite shots were from this moment because the rain looked like glitter in the photos. They added this extra, unexpected element that I just loved. I watched as the oldest sat upon a rock and shot that as the rain fell. Suddenly, his brothers came and stood beside him, framing him, perfectly posed as he turned his head slightly toward me. Our guide shouted, "get it get it", and I absolutely did. I just remember how excited we were at that moment and could not stop saying "wow". While I would have liked him to look right at me, it is my favorite photo of the trip.
Shortly after, I did get to watch the family hunt, something I never expected to witness in my lifetime.
Do you have an interesting story behind a single shot in the book?
There were so many magical moments from this trip to choose from, but my favorite story would have to be getting the shot of the wildebeest crossing the river for The Great Migration. We waited 3 days for that shot, and it was an adventure the entire time.
The Mara River is the only place in the world during The Great Migration to see herds of thousands upon thousands of wildebeest cross the river, and our guide Simon was determined to make sure we saw it happen before leaving the Northern Serengeti. The thing about a wildebeest crossing is that you could wait around for 3 hours with a herd looking like it's going to cross, running up and down a riverbank, and then they decide today isn't the day.
Our first three days of safari were filled with tracking various wildebeest herds while our guide sped over the savannah Mad Max-style to catch them, communicating with other guides in Swahili over radios. We couldn't understand a thing, but we knew when they got excited as they exchanged information on where the herds were, if they looked like they were going to cross, and if they had already crossed.
On our final day in the Northern Serengeti, we woke up determined to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. We spent the morning chatting with other guides, figuring out where the herds were. We were disappointed when we missed a crossing late in the afternoon, where we had stumbled upon a leopard that took us away from the wildebeest. There was a solemn feeling in our vehicle after that, thinking we missed our only chance. The sadness was palpable from all of us, including Simon.
But almost as if magic, a guide named Goodluck told us about another herd at the far side of the river, and how he felt like they may cross today. We hoped he actually was as his name claimed, so we drove to the far side of the river, and there the wildebeest were, contemplating.
We sat there for hours with dozens of other Land Cruisers, poking our heads out of the top to get the shot. The sun was starting to get low, some folks left, but we were determined to see this. All three of us. We sat, we ate snacks, we talked about our families, we prayed to whatever was in the universe to prod them to cross. And suddenly, one started to run across the water.
The other thing about wildebeest crossings is that once one decides to cross, they all follow. Once it was on, it was a mad rush to the riverbank. All the Land Cruisers sped up to the side of the bank, and Simon got us prime positioning. The herd crossed, forming their own current intersecting the river. They were heading right toward us. They ran up the bank, right next to our vehicle, their hooves creating thunder across the Serengeti.
And those are some of my favorite shots of the trip because of the perseverance, adrenalin, and just plain patience it took to get it. I'll never forget the energy and beauty of that moment, how much work was put in to get us to witness it, and that I got to share it with my mom.
What does your keepsake mean to you and your family?
My mom and I have talked about going on an African safari for as long as I can remember. I was always enamored with The Lion King growing up, always wanting to see a lion in the wild, and this trip was at the top of our bucket lists. When the opportunity presented itself in 2025, we decided it was time, and that it would just be us two, as we always talked about it.
My mom doesn't travel internationally, so this was a large jump out of her comfort zone. I also live across the country from her, and we've never really had long amounts of time to spend together, just the two of us. Our husbands are usually around, and it's only for maybe a week at a time. So, we decided to ditch them for this one.
This trip is now such a fond memory for us both, because she overcame a fear, and we were able to bond so closely during our time in Africa. I know she looks at the photos every day, so I wanted to make this book to memorialize her all-time favorite adventure.
What inspires you to take photos in general?
Taking photos is something I've always done. My parents got me my first camera when I was 12, and I would spend time taking photos of the sports teams at my school, of my friends hanging out, and of the wildlife around our house. It fills a part of me I haven't yet been able to put into words.
I love capturing moments of action...stopping a fleeting moment that would be a blip to the human eye and capturing the emotion and story of it. That's why I gravitate to capturing images of sports, outdoor endeavors, and wildlife. It's an adrenalin rush that turns into crafting something beautiful. I also am inspired by the people I take pictures of. When shooting sports or action photos, I'm inspired to make sure every person I take a photo of feels the coolest, most capable individual in whatever they're doing, no matter their experience or ability level. I want them to see a photo of themselves and feel empowered.
However, wildlife photography was still very new to me going on this trip. I'd never really had the opportunity to shoot wildlife, and now I am deeply in love. It gives me the same rush of capturing a fleeting moment that sports photography does, but it just takes a lot more patience and grit. I absolutely love the process, the waiting, and the reward of the photo. I'm happy to sit in the woods waiting for the perfect shot of an animal. I'm absolutely hooked.
What inspires you creatively?
I'm very inspired creatively by trying new things and pushing myself out of my norm. I do like to shoot very cleanly, so I often try to push myself into exploring how to make things messier, try new angles, zoom in and capture detail, or try out a foreground to see how it comes out. I am constantly trying to push myself out of what I know to see what I can come up with.
What bit of advice would you offer for someone creating their own MILK memento?
I'm very inspired creatively by trying new things and pushing myself out of my norm. I do like to shoot very cleanly, so I often try to push myself into exploring how to make things messier, try new angles, zoom in and capture detail, or try out a foreground to see how it comes out. I am constantly trying to push myself out of what I know to see what I can come up with.
Take the time to make it special and add the personal touches. Don't just focus on the photos, but add some personal things within to make it stand out.
I left myself a large amount of time to put mine together, to make sure I included all the photos I wanted, and then left space to add my own personal touches and get creative. At first, I just had photos, and then I decided to add some storytelling callouts for each section, to give some context to these sections for anyone who would look through the book that isn't my mom. Then I started adding in some dedications, and small touches of Swahili that I felt really allowed it to be its own, personal thing that my mom would connect with. I'm so happy and proud of this book, and to have something that feels so official as a memento from this special trip.
Katie's magazine is a reminder that the most powerful travel photography often comes down to patience, instinct, and knowing when to stay in your seat a little longer. But beyond the images, what makes her magazine truly special are the personal touches and small details that make it entirely her own. As Katie puts it, don't just focus on the photos. Take the time to make it something worth coming back to. If her story has inspired you to turn your own travels into something lasting, start creating your MILK Magazine in our Design Studio today.