TITLE: The Land That Made Us One

In an era where technology defines our daily lives and the natural world feels increasingly distant, it may be difficult to imagine that there are still people in Africa living much as they did hundreds of years ago. Deeply connected to nature, their way of life remains woven into the land, the seasons, and the animals with which they coexist. They are not separate from the natural world, but part of it.

For the opening of this series, I chose to focus on the Maasai Tribe. Much of East Africa’s remaining wilderness and iconic safari destinations are Maasai ancestral lands, making this a natural starting point for a project that honours both traditional cultures and the natural world.

This series celebrates remarkable cultures and the iconic wildlife they coexist alongside. While my work has long focused on the beauty and fragility of Africa’s wildlife, living here has revealed another equally pressing reality: the traditional ways of life for communities that have long depended on nature are now just as endangered as the natural world itself.

Each artwork features both wild animals photographed in their natural habitats and genuine Maasai individuals whose lives remain intertwined with the land. Every image is a composite made from two separate photographs, taken in the exact same location, under matching light and weather conditions.

May these images serve as quiet yet powerful testaments to the possibility that humanity and the natural world can still thrive together, side by side, just as the people in these photographs, and their ancestors, have done for generations.

AUTHOR: James Lewin (United Kingdom)

James Lewin is a rapidly emerging contemporary photographic artist. He has a passion for conservation, focusing his attention on capturing African Wildlife in its most natural form.
By exercising an immersive and intimate approach, Lewin strives to connect people with East Africa's magnificent yet vulnerable inhabitants. To capture his striking portraits, he utilises wide-angle lenses from highly unique perspectives, allowing the viewer to feel as if they were beside the animals within the frame. He views his work as an influential tool to raise awareness and funds for the creatures he admires and spends time with. 20% of every sale feeds directly back to conservation projects in Africa. Having minimal impact on the planet is equally important to Lewin; each safari is carbon neutral. 
 
Lewin's photographs have a timeless quality and convey that his wildlife subjects are endangered and may one day only be witnessed through photography. He finds black & white a powerful reminder of this, as people often associate a monochrome aesthetic with history. Like the photographic masters such as Sebastiao Salgado & Terry O'Neil, Lewin prints his work on silver gelatin. These prints are made using traditional photochemistry and are far superior in archival longevity and tonal range to other printing methods.
 
James' work has been awarded in multiple International Photography Awards, including the Monochrome Awards, Nature's Best Awards, Monovisions Photography Awards, ND Awards and Outdoor Photographer of the Year. James was ranked number 1 B&W Photographer in the UK and number 4th globally in the 2021 One Eyeland Top 10 Black & White Photographers Award. This included winning Gold, Silver and Bronze in the Wildlife Category. James was also a Hasselblad Masters Finalist, which is one of the most prestigious professional photographic competitions in the World.​​​​​​​