TITLE: Prowling with lions

With my lion series, I am aiming to go beyond traditional documentary photography to convey the magical qualities of lions that intrigues me the most. In order to do so, I prefer to work with lions in the wild. Lions in captivity does not have the majestic presence that I look for and I want to portrait them in their natural habitat. I photograph mostly in black and white to avoid the distraction of colors. I want my images to have a timeless feel and I want to focus on shape, light and form but at the same time capture and explore the complexity and the essence of the iconic lion. I also prefer to work during stormy and rainy days. I need the sense of movement, drama and uncertainty that the wind and rain adds to the scene. It symbolizes the world in which lions live, a world of uncertainty and danger but also a world of bravery and pride.

I do not manipulate my images to a great extent, I simply enhance certain parts of the image to visually communicate the way I see lions. In this regard my images are representational, yet they may suggest different realities.

AUTHOR: Pekka Järventaus (Finland)