Old Testament II

2023

Image Story

"Out with the new, in with the old, please!"

Thousands of lion images appear on social media every day, each a little different to the last. Trying to create something that stands out, something with real presence, feels harder with each passing day - so I stopped trying.

Social media has changed photography in a fundamental way. Images now compete for attention, often through heavy edits, extreme crops or artificial enhancements. Even AI-generated images of lions tend to be heavily saturated, a reflection of the visual style the algorithms are learning from.

It was not always like this. Before social media, when photographers like Brandt and Salgado were producing some of their most iconic work, there was more time taken. Each frame was carefully considered, with a strong sense of place and atmosphere. I miss that approach.

This image feels like a nod to that era. It is not the kind of photograph I see much of in my feed anymore, which I take as a good sign. The lion speaks for itself, and the backdrop does the rest.