MPELELEZI 👣

A young cub is engrossed in a moment, as his younger sister keeps a wary eye on me.

"Mpelelezi" means "explorer" in Swahili.

He stared quietly, intently, almost hypnotized by the movement in the grass ahead of him. The maturing cubs were part of the river pride that had come to a halt in the shadows of bushes to rest and recover after a long amble up and along the winding, hot trail they had completed earlier. As the adults settled into select, cool places in the area, this little explorer and his sister started to play. They climbed up and around a bone-dry trunk and, once or twice, tumbled over the wood into the grass, often displaying fun and affection for each other. They spent a good portion of the midday break exploring their surroundings, from a quick mock hunt (of each other) to pawing gingerly at various objects, including a large dung beetle who happened by. Eventually they settled by the log, and as the little male looked attentively ahead, his sister looked up to eye me quietly from her stealthy position, watching cautiously as I shifted my position to take this shot.

The story of play and playfulness abounds in the animal kingdom. Many of nature's creatures are framed as having one specific behavior, and we often fail to see other aspects of all these wonderful creatures. For me, it is in play that we may learn the most important life lessons from ourselves: trust, patience, and humor, and it is these attributes that ultimately shape who we become and guide us to evolve the key foundations of becoming soulful, mature individuals. For the animal kingdom, it is no less. Learning to play, touch, and explore creates important lessons for these and other youngsters, whose very survival depends on this later. Important bonds are formed, and important lessons are learned that will serve them well in the years to come.

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.