"The best portraits of people are taken from within touching distance, why should it not be the same with a wild lion"
Without doubt one of my favourite lion images to date, perhaps of any I have taken. This was the shot I had in mind when first visiting Namiri Plains in 2023, something different to all the other lion portraits I’d seen - either closely cropped on a long lens or taken with a remote control camera, with the lion looking suspicious or unnatural, not something I like in my images.
The image comprised three key elements; proximity, achieved through eight patient days of watching a trio of lions to determine which was calm enough to attempt the shot. Storm clouds, providing wonderful atmosphere to the shot that a clear blue sky could never achieve. And a big mane. This was crucial above all else. The lion needed to be big and imposing to really complete the image.
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Standard: 40" x 25" | Medium: 50" x 33" | Large: 60" x 40" | X-Large: 70" x 46"
Behind the Lens
Establishing where I can and cannot be with each wild animal is essential. Sometimes the clues are subtle and nuanced, others are fairly obvious.
