MUNTSHWA 👣

The younger of the two lion brothers gazes with steely confidence back at me, reflecting a certain pride over their African kingdom.

Muntshwa means "youngster" in Tsonga. His stare, for me, captures the essence of youth, yet he is scarred from recent battles, emanating a quiet confidence in his role as presider over the land he and his brother recently acquired. He was in his element. Having made a kill the night before, both brothers were relaxed, satiated, yet attentive to their surroundings. The setting was fantastically African: a dark crimson dusk wrapped in almost complete silence, broken only by the occasional cries of fish eagles or distant snorts of buck sharing their alarms nearby. It was in one of these moments that he turned his attention to my presence, our spotters lights giving me this brief moment of opportunity to capture his gaze.

In reflection, our youth is often scarred by our experiences, both good and bad. The battles we carry in life resonate with those we don't often get to see or know about in the wild. One's youth seems to vary between being strong one day and moments of weakness the next. The days present a constant need to balance between the process of time and a feeling of peace in ones mind. These are heavy days for the young, and one of which this lion reminds me can leave scars on the achievements that must be made to be okay, to survive.

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.