Land of Lions
Medium: Archival Pigment Print, Silver Gelatin
Year: 2023
The Serengeti is believed to hold the largest population of lions in Africa, with over 3,000 individuals, making it undoubtedly the land of lions. When I found this pride of lions on the open short grass plains of Eastern Serengeti, I immediately thought I needed to create a group portrait. I am always looking to make photographs different from anything I have ever taken, and this was definitely one of those moments. I often aim for my portraits, especially of predators, to be striking and imposing, which means my camera needs to be extremely close to the subject. I used a remote-controlled camera to safely capture the shot without disturbing them with a large vehicle. My remote-controlled buggy allowed me to move the camera into position and adjust the composition, a technique I mastered over the past five years. In the morning, lions are often very active; seeing a foreign object can sometimes intrigue them. All the credit goes to the Lions for this shot; they couldn’t have positioned themselves into a better composition. I haven’t used a remote camera since 2021, as I have designed specially modified vehicles, but images like this make me want to keep using them. It is such a low-percentage game with a high chance of losing your camera, making it such a thrilling experience when you finally get the shot.