Dinokeng, South Africa

I think that this is one of my more powerful lion photographs over the last ten years. It is a tribute to the skills of Kevin Richardson – The Lion Whisperer – whose ability to work with these magnificent cats is without equal.

The night before, the thunderstorms around Dinokeng, South Africa, were so violent and relentless that sleeping was almost impossible. My restlessness was compounded by my excitement about the amount of flood water that would be building in Kevin’s famous sanctuary. Bad weather is always an opportunity, not a threat, and hopefully we practice what we preach.

I knew that it was going to be dirty work as Kevin’s heavy cage at my behest, would be positioned in the new marshland at first light. These lions are wild, and the only way of gaining proximity is by using remotes or working from a very heavy cage. Remotes were a non-runner with the water levels, so it was time for me to get very wet and suck it up.

The end result made it all worthwhile. I can’t really get more out of an adult male lion than this, and what a majestic animal he is.