Romance is Dead

2023

Tanzania

Image Story

"This is one rare image where I wouldn't change a single thing about it."

Throughout my work there is usually a feeling of calm, for that is how I endeavour to keep the encounters I enjoy with my wild subjects. Every now and then though something happens that leaves me stunned.

Three years ago it was the fighting bull elephants that resulted in Rumble in the Jungle, the now sold out print, this year it was this moment between mating lions.

The mating process between male and female often takes up to three days, with regular mating during this time they spend together, away from other lions. Knowing that upon completion of mating lioness’ could often react in a visceral way, biting or snarling at the male, I worked out a process with my guide, Anderson, about the best way to get as close as we could. A great image is all about the angle and perspective and we would need to be close and below eye level for it to work.

This reaction was one of the most dramatic I saw over the time I spent with these two, with flys exploding from his mane and a look of genuine fear on his face. It was not until I got the print on my computer later that evening that I also noticed the trail of saliva coming from the lioness’ jaws, another extraordinary detail in this shot.

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Standard: 40" x 25" | Medium: 50" x 33" | Large: 60" x 40" | X-Large: 70" x 46"

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Behind the Lens

This was by far the longest I have ever spent with a pair of lions - having initially set out to create shots of them as individuals the goal quickly changed, as it so often does in the wild.