Celebrating 15 years photographing in AFRICA

Even as I am sitting here writing this, overlooking one of the most pristine wild places left in Northern Kenya, where the wildlife roams free, and the tribes are living exactly as they have for 100’s of years, it is hard to imagine this is my 15^th year photographing in Africa.

Since I was a small child, I had dreamed about going to Africa one day. Growing up in southern California I was lucky to have a real African wildlife safari park 40 minutes from home, called Lion Country Safari. Back in the day, before lawsuits and liability were what they are now, my dad would load us up in the wood panel sided station wagon with a packed lunch. We would enter the gate of the park, just as you would in Africa, and do a self-drive safari through the park. Back in the day, it was a mix of all African wildlife, including the predators; hence the name, Lion Country Safari. Every Sunday night I was glued to the TV watching Mutual of Omaha’s, Wild Kingdom.

As I grew up, I suppose I was swept into the “real world”, finding myself in the fashion industry for a couple of decades; not as a photographer, but as a designer. Even after a few decades it just wasn’t a fit. I preferred to be in jeans, flip-flops, and out camping on the weekends – so to speak. Then on a whim, I signed up to go on an Africa wildlife safari with the Sierra club; a true life-changing experience. I was only 5-6 days into that trip, sitting in the middle of the Serengeti surrounded by the migration, when I committed to living at least one year of my life in Africa and become a wildlife photographer. We all have inspiring moments that stir-crazy thoughts, but this time, the dream became a reality.

These past two weeks have been bittersweet as I began my 15^th year photographing in Kenya, the African country that most captured my heart. Paras Chabdaria, a known local photographer and huge advocate of saving Nairobi National Park, took me for a drive through the beautiful national park, where we saw a pride of lions, 5 rhino (black and white), a tower of giraffe, numerous antelope and zebra, and the shocking construction of the railway system that will run almost through the middle of the park. I suspect this incredible wildlife park, the only one in the world hosted in a major city, is on its last decade of existence.

The construction of the railway going through Nairobi National Park

The next day I found myself in one of most incredible rhino reserves in Africa. That first evening was magical as we were up in the open plains with Mount Kenya in the background, and there was a territorial dispute between two rhinos that went on for at least half an hour. Throughout the reserve, we saw numerous family groups, bulls with long horns, and an estimate of about 70 rhinos in the one evening and morning we were there. I wanted to shout it to the world and tell no one. The guests joining me on the Signature Safari Africa are in for an incredible experience.

Over the next ten days, I traveled through all the conservancies in the north, including the Mathews range; a pristine wilderness area I had flown over for years. It was soulful to discover the Samburu community, through the help of trustees, owns many conservancies in the north, are benefiting greatly from limited tourism, are preserving the land and living in harmony with the wildlife. Through the pristine Mathews range, it is as though time had stood still, warriors were roaming the land and life was as it had been since I set foot on African soil. I visited Retetie, the first elephant rescue and sanctuary owned by a local community. I visited a rhino sanctuary owned by the local Samburu community. With the biologist from the San Diego Zoo, I visited the local Samburu researchers of the reticulated giraffe project. My heart soared with the realization that the warriors are the guardians of Northern Kenya and they are protecting the heritage of Africa, both wildlife and the pristine wilderness while keeping their own indigenous way of life.

Outside of these conservancies, life is racing forward with progress. We flew across tarmac roads that only three years ago were a rough and long ride. Cities have replaced the beautiful villages I visited only a short time ago. Economies are booming with the discovery of oil and completing two major power projects. As the changes are inevitable, I will continue my journey and focus in finding the hidden secrets of AFRICA and reclaiming the magic I first experience on this continent, such as Northern Kenya; a country in which I will always feel privileged to have lived in, even if for only a short period.

I am already looking forward to the Tribal Expedition Northern Kenya this fall where we will be traveling through one of the last remote tribal regions.

After this last year of leading the Turkana Festival and wildlife safari, I will head to Angola for three weeks of adventure in the southern region; finding the magic.