TITLE: A New Dawn

Rhinos are among the most critically endangered wildlife species in the world, with the white and black rhinos being the only species left in the wild in Africa. While national parks in South Africa did exemplary work in bringing both species (especially the white) back to sizeable numbers, of late the country has witnessed an alarming spike in poaching. In this context, a few reserves in Kenya like the Solio Game Reserve (where this series was photographed) offer both species a new dawn with their admirable conservation efforts.

This series includes both species of rhino, photographed over a number of days at Solio and includes a mix of 3 portraits that show us their magnificence and 2 wider shots. The first of the wider shots is of a group of rhinos that struck a pose that an art director for Vogue or Vanity Fair couldn't better. The second is of a rhino silhouetted against Mt. Kenya, the country's largest peak.

AUTHOR: Preeti and Prashant Chacko (India)

We are Preeti and Prashant Chacko, Indian photo artists. Together, we go by the handle “Composing the Wild”. Our work celebrates nature through the beauty of its wild animals, photographed in timeless black and white. We favour monochrome for its ability to distil emotion and to create a vision of a time past but hopefully never lost.

What inspires us is not just the visual drama of the wild, but the emotion it stirs. Over years of photography, we’ve learned that the images we cherish most are those that express beauty and emotion. Through our lens, we try to portray the grace of the wild and invite viewers to see these beings not as beasts, but as wonders worthy of awe, empathy, and protection.