Land of Lions

James Lewin
Land of Lions
Archival Pigment / Silver Gelatin Print

Available sizes:
18”25.85”
28”x40.21”
38”x54.57”
48”x68.93”

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.