Nick Brandt. Lion Before the Storm I, Maasai Mara, 2007
Photo Credit: Artsy.net

This photograph features a majestic standing lion with his head turned towards the wind and is strikingly captivating. It’s part of a two-photo series featuring the same lion. In this Study 1, the lion is artfully framed between two shrubs. The low angle and intimate perspective make the lion appear even more majestic and evocative. The extreme shallow depth of field, combined with black and white post-processing, sets this apart from typical wildlife photographs. Brandt employs a Pentax 67 Medium Format Camera and avoids long telephoto lenses, allowing him to get closer to his subjects and imbue his images with a personal feel.

Brandt’s photographs are easy to admire, often featured and discussed by John Fox and Danie Bester in their creative classes. But what’s even more impactful is his message. Brandt’s work has substantially raised awareness about wildlife conservation issues in Africa. He focuses on humanity’s impact on the natural world and has spent nearly two decades photographing African wildlife and areas affected by human development. His series like Inherit the Dust (2016) and This Empty World (2019) highlight these themes. Often capturing animals in black-and-white or sepia tones, he presents them as sentient beings not unlike humans. His experience photographing African elephants and learning about their poaching led him to co-found the Big Life Foundation, which protects the ecosystem and animals across a large part of Kenya and Tanzania.

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