Don't Look Back

Life constantly challenges our courage and willingness to fight for what we believe in. There’s no use in shying away from hardship or saying “I’m not ready yet”. Life doesn’t look back, only forwards. The first half of 2020 was the toughest of my seven years as a professional wildlife photographer. All assignments cancelled, society in disarray, and countless borders slammed shut. I refused to surrender my greatest passion — telling the stories of our natural world — and wallow in self-pity. With that in mind, I bought a one-way ticket to Tanzania and spent months deep in Serengeti National Park. On my first drive into the savannah, I came face-to-face with this huge male lion, "Nguvu" (Swahili for "power"). He approached from 20 metres out, striding purposefully toward my lens, never losing eye contact. This image was taken just 5 metres away, the last moment before he moved around the vehicle. Over the next few months I saw Nguvu ward away countless challenges from invading male lions, take down huge buffalos, and protect his cubs from marauding hyena packs. Being challenged in life is inevitable, succumbing to defeat is optional. This image and Nguvu himself are my constant reminders of that.