HLANGANISA 👣

Gently, he returns the affection, wrapping his searching trunk around his older sibling.

Hlanganisa means "connect" in Tsonga. This followed a tender moment earlier when the older sibling had softly touched his brother's forehead and stood still. The younger sibling now moved forward a little, wrapping his trunk in a gesture that spoke of tender closeness. The still, warm African air pervaded the setting as a distant rumbling of the herd further back could be heard approaching as these two were in their moment. The occasion was not lost on either of them as they gently tugged at each other playfully after their quiet exchange. It felt like forever, but moments later they disappeared with their passing family members, heading back into the deeper bush.

Sitting back, I placed my camera down just to observe for a while. I could not help but reflect on how simple time and touch are in the animal kingdom, yet they are so deeply meaningful in ways we will probably never completely comprehend. In my opinion, we humans are about to face our most difficult dilemma during our time on Earth: purpose. As artificial intelligence spirals and our knowledge of this world grows, with information available at an instant, anywhere, and our search for thought answered by volumes of data, we seem to be increasingly disconnected from the rhythm of life. It feels as if distance creeps into our connections with everything - between us and others, as well as with our own sense of self. According to some of the greatest thinkers and philosophers of our time, the pleasure of life (if there is one to try to define) always seems to point to one thing: finding time to be in the moment, connected with yourself and all life. It was a thought I had as I watched these two in this seemingly endless moment of pure touch.

RAW AFRICA COLLECTION

Welcome to Africa - the wise, the restless, the life giving.

This soulful land of dreamers gives rise to the underbelly of a beautiful gentle beat that is only heard by those who listen for it. This photographic journey explores, profiles and captures what I hope is the heart and soul of Africa's true wilderness kingdom. From its deep bush to its dry savannah and desert, Africa remains a place where life is represented by timeless vistas that are distilled into moments to treasure.