ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Photographing a male lion or in fact any lion at less than 2 feet away in the wild has been an ambition that I have obsessed over for more than a year as I continue to strive towards taking images from viewpoints that no human alive today can possibly imagine. I think this image achieves that.

The success rate of working with remote cameras with wide angle lenses is not high at all but I feel this is the length one must go to in order to create imposing and striking images of dangerous wildlife worthy of being hung on walls in large sizes.

This impressive male lion is part of a coalition that rules the Borana Conservancy, and they have become renowned for bringing down Giraffe, Buffalo and Eland. Here, he stands proudly, gazing into the distance like a roman ruler but displaying his battle scars as he continues to fight off intruding rivals. He is without doubt the Baron of Borana.

AUTHOR
James Lewin is a rapidly emerging British Fine Art Wildlife Photographer and Conservationist focusing on African Wildlife. He found his eye for photography after discovering his passion for conservation in Kenya.

His fine art style developed swiftly as he attempted to connect people with East Africa's magnificent yet disappearing wildlife. He found an immersive and intimate approach was most effective in achieving this. To capture his striking portraits, he prefers working with wide-angle lenses from unique perspectives unknown to any living person creating a detachment from reality while making the viewer feel like they are beside the animals within the frame.

James finds cloudy skies a critical element for creating drama within a scene, which is accentuated in black and white from a low angle. Black and white also creates a timeless feel about James’ images, as one associate's black and white photography with history. It is as if the subjects within the frame are no more.

James is an avid conservationist, holding fundraisers, talks and donating prints to charity auctions. He views his work as a powerful tool to raise funds for the animals he admires and spends time with. Up to 20% of each sale supports organisations protecting the animals within the frames and the surrounding communities. James was also part of "Prints for Wildlife" with 150 leading photographers, which has raised $1.7m for African Parks Network since 2020.

Having minimal impact on the planet is of equal importance to James. Each adventure is Carbon Neutral by purchasing carbon credits with a community-owned carbon project (verified by VCS & CCBS) located between two ecosystems in Southern Kenya that he works in regularly. The project secures a critical habitat that forms a vital corridor connecting the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem and benefits over 70,000 local livelihoods.

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