African Wildlife in Spotlight - In Conversation with James Lewin

Photography, Interviews

August 3, 2021

A self-taught British photographer, James Lewin is celebrated for his immersive and striking images of African wildlife, seeking to inspire and connect people with these magnificent yet endangered creatures. A dedicated conservationist, he brings in the 20% for charity of each sale, wanting his images to make a genuine difference to wildlife and communities in Africa. It was his passion for conservation in Kenya that brought him to photography in the first place. 

Patiently looking for a moment of calmness, Lewin creates intimate images which reveal his connection with the animals. Using wide angle and standard lenses instead of telephoto, he often uses remote cameras to position his camera in places no human ever could. The resulting images create a detachment from reality while making the viewer feel as if they are right beside the animals within the frame. Exclusively executed in black and white, these works are characterized by a timeless feel.

We had a chat with Lewin to find out more about his photography practice and conservation efforts. In an exclusive Widewalls interview, he talks about first discovering passion for conservation and photography, his working process, challenging and rewarding photoshoots, charity organizations he supports, burning issues regarding wildlife conservation, and much more.

Left: James Lewin - Colossal Craig, 2020 / Right: James Lewin - The Huntress of Namiri, 2021

Photographing African Wildlife

Widewalls: You are a self-taught photographer. How did you first discover your passion for this medium?

James Lewin: When I was 18, I spent three months in Kenya patrolling with rangers and doing various labour works across the Chyulu Hills with Big Life Foundation, who I support and partner with today. At Richard’s (CEO & Co-Founder) house, there is a waterhole that was formerly a swimming pool, and the elephants are remarkably relaxed when they visit. So much so that I was able to be inside the waterhole whilst wild elephants drank around me. It was the moment where I first came face to face with one of Africa’s Great Tuskers. I remember looking up at him like some godly creature with tusks so long that they submerged into the water. It was the first time I felt compelled to take a photograph, albeit with a tiny point a shoot camera. Not more than a few days later, I first laid eyes upon the work of Nick Brandt. His early portraits captivated me, and he remains my most significant influence and favourite wildlife photographer. More recently, I wanted to remake the special memory I had in the waterhole several years before. I made “The Gentlemen’s Club” taken from the exact position of the same elephant, and Nick Brandt certainly inspired me to make the portrait in the way that I did. 

During my three months in Kenya, I became aware of the wildlife crisis in Africa. I learned of the struggle’s organisations were facing to keep these endangered animals alive when poaching in Kenya was out of control. Ivory was selling in the far east for $2,500 per kilo! Since my first visit to Kenya, savanna elephants have moved from “vulnerable” to “endangered”. Even Giraffe numbers have plummeted by more than 40% in just the past 30 years. I found it genuinely shocking to learn that in 1973, Kenya was home to an estimated 20,000 black rhino which only 11 years later became 300.

In light of this, I began hosting talks and fundraisers back home in the UK, but it wasn’t long before my passion for conservation led me to photography. My girlfriend Tamara taught me the basics of photography and helped me choose my first camera. She achieved a top grade in photography at school, so I learned a lot from her early on. It is also incredible how much information is out there on platforms like YouTube, which I am still using to learn new things like editing techniques.

From the beginning, I wanted to use my photography to connect people with the disappearing wildlife that I had become devoted to. My fine art style developed quickly, and I began selling my work as prints within a year of owning my first DSLR. I began to see my work as a powerful tool to raise funds for organisations working to end poaching. It has been my ambition ever since to become better and better and make powerful photographs that cannot be remade.

Widewalls: Your works are rather striking and intimate, allowing the viewers to see African wildlife from up close and in stunning detail. Could you walk us through your working process?

JL: Back in my school days, I studied History of Art, which taught me a lot about the importance of a strong composition. But I was always fascinated by mythological and classical sculptures because of how impressive the subjects are portrayed. When viewing them in person, they are elevated so that you look up at them, which I think commands instant respect, and you are instantly aware that the subject is of great significance. It has been my focus to elevate endangered wildlife with the same effect.

This approach is not straightforward with wild animals as they cannot be directed. If a photograph is to be successful, it must draw an emotional connection with the viewer. Therefore, I avoid any chance of disturbing the natural behaviour of my subjects as it ruins any chance of a powerful, genuine portrait. I use two methods to achieve my intimate portraiture, which both require an investment of time and patience. Firstly, I partner with field-based organisations that understand and spend more time with these animals than anybody else. They often know individual animals better than their family members, which on several occasions has allowed me to photograph some of Africa’s most giant elephants from just a few metres whilst on foot. I also use lion proof customised boxes, a remote-control buggy, and customised vehicles to position my camera for unique perspectives. Each location I work in is different in terms of animal behaviour and landscape which always requires months of research to fine-tune my process. For these reasons, I choose to photograph cheetahs in the Serengeti, Elephants in Amboseli, and lions in the Maasai Mara.

Widewalls: Photographing wildlife relies much on patience. Could you share some of your most challenging photoshoots, but also the most rewarding ones? 

JL: Indeed, some of my most challenging shoots are the ones attempting to photograph Big Tusker Elephants. There are fewer than 25 in all of Africa, making them very difficult to find. 

I spent a week with the Tsavo Trust earlier this year attempting to photograph Dida, the largest female tusker in Africa and one of the oldest matriarchs. The Tsavo Trust have followed her for over a decade, and without them, there would be no chance of finding her within an area the size of Switzerland. She is also known for venturing far and wide across the vast landscape, making it challenging to keep up with her. With the help of a small aircraft, we found her on day one, but we needed to collect water after a few hours of being with her. We got back to her location within an hour, but there was no sign of her. That day, we searched for 6 hours with no luck. The next day, we set off before sunrise and spent another 7 hours searching before finding her again, only 3km from where we first saw her! Much of Tsavo is covered in thick bush, making it a tough place to work. We thankfully had better luck over the following days, and I managed to capture my new release, The Queen of Tsavo, whilst waiting at a waterhole that the Tsavo Trust had predicted she would go. 

Another rewarding yet challenging shoot was for my new release, The Orphans of Reteti. It required nearly three months of planning because the orphaned elephants are on a rigorous routine in the preparation to be released back into the wild. The rock featured in the photograph is a few kilometres away from the sanctuary, meaning we had to get the logistics spot on to work with their feeding schedule allowing me a 20-minute window to take photographs at the location. The elephants had never been to the rock before, which has historically been a hideout for poachers, so it was a unique and rewarding experience for all involved. The challenge was to have all the elephants facing towards me simultaneously with no keepers in the photograph. Once the elephants arrived at the rock, the keepers fed them their milk in a line, but as soon as the keepers moved off, a couple always walked straight towards me or off to the side. We got close on the second attempt, but this was now the third and final attempt. Yusuf, the Head keeper at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, had a brilliant idea to collect some acacia seeds and put them in a line in front of the elephants. They formed a line and thankfully chose to face me, creating an opportunity that lasted for just a few seconds. The moment I took this frame remains one of my most treasured memories of all.

James Lewin - The Queen of Tsavo, 2021

The Protection and Conservation of Wildlife

Widewalls: As an ardent conservationist, you donate a significant proportion of your profits to conservation charities to ensure the protection of the animals you photograph. Could you introduce our readers to some of these charities, but also explain how can they contribute to their work?

JL: Together with my galleries, we currently support seven different organisations working in Kenya and Tanzania. We feel it is essential to give back to the organisations working on the ground protecting the actual animals you see within each frame and, of course, all other animals within the area. There are two organisations that I have known and worked with the longest. 

Tsavo Trust is an action-orientated field-based organisation working across the Tsavo Conservation Area in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Tsavo forms an area the size of Switzerland that is home to Kenya’s largest elephant and rhino populations. Beginning operations in 2013, they set out with the sole purpose of keeping Tsavo’s Tusker Elephants alive through ariel and ground surveillance. Tsavo Trust is also heavily involved with the security and monitoring of the 160+ black rhino and has set up and played a stewardship role in two community conservancies that border the National Parks. Over $1 has now been fed into these communities that live alongside wildlife. Tsavo Trust patrols enough distance each year to travel around our planet nearly nine times which has been a critical contributor to reducing poaching in Tsavo by over 90%.

Big Life Foundation was founded in 2010 and was the first organisation to establish cross-border anti-poaching operations. Big Life recognises that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach. This approach is at the heart of Big Life’s philosophy that conservation supports the people and people support conservation. Big Life has dramatically reduced poaching across the 1.6 million-acre area of operation and has succeeded in not losing one elephant or rhino to poaching in 2019. Big Life is also heavily invested in reducing Human-Wildlife Conflict across the Ecosystem and has successfully reduced elephant crop-raiding by almost 90% through the construction of fences and their rapid response units.

Other organizations include The Mara Elephant Project, Borana Conservancy, Lewa Conservancy, The Serengeti Cheetah Project and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.

Both organisations and the other dedicated ones I support need donations and can be supported by clicking these links.

Widewalls: What do you think are currently the most burning issues regarding wildlife conservation?

JL: When discussing the threats to the future of wildlife in Africa, poaching is often the first topic mentioned, but the reality is much more complex. Poaching in Kenya has reduced significantly over the past few years, with not one rhino poached last year during a global pandemic which initially brought considerable concern. Population growth is a touchy subject to talk about, but human-wildlife conflict is increasing as the human population grows. It has led to greater competition for space, with wild habitats shrinking and turning into farms and other developments. The other burning issue that impacts our kind as much as it does wildlife is climate change. The reality is that droughts will become longer, which will be devastating for wildlife and people. The weather patterns that we all depend on are already changing, and the first to suffer will be poor rural communities and, of course, the wildlife.

We all have a part to play in reducing our carbon footprint and making adjustments to the way we live. "We don’t need a handful of people being perfectly sustainable. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly." But for making an immediate difference to low-income communities and wildlife living in Africa, the single best thing we can do is visit these places with responsible and sustainable operators. Many organisations like the ones I support are doing incredible work to ensure these wild spaces are protected going forward into the future. Donating even a small amount of money to a charity of your choice can go a long way.

James Lewin - Drought, 2018

Carbon Neutral Adventures

Widewalls: Each of your adventures is Carbon Neutral. Could you explain what this means and how do you achieve it?

JL: I support The Chyulu Hills REDD Project, a community owed carbon project located between two ecosystems that I work in regularly. It is certified with The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and The Climate Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) and protects over 1,000,000 acres of wilderness, benefitting over 70,000 local livelihoods.

It is no secret that we have a climate crisis impacting our lives and the lives of the animals I love and spend time with. I see it as a responsibility to ensure that I am not making a detrimental impact on our planet every time I take a photograph.

Widewalls: Working exclusively in black and white, you’re one of the few wildlife photographers to produce traditional Silver Gelatin and Platinum Palladium prints. Why this medium?

JL: I was quickly drawn to black and white because it adds a timeless feel to the photographs while creating a detachment from reality as we see so much colour every day. We also associate black and white photography with history, which might lead people to question whether the animal within the frame is still alive or not. I find it a powerful realisation of what we have left and what an empty World it would be without them. 

Printing to me is as important as the making of a photograph. It is when a photograph comes to life and therefore should be executed to the highest standards available. I work with some of the best printers in the world to create traditional Silver Gelatin and Platinum Palladium prints to immense sizes. Both Silver and Platinum prints are made with traditional photochemistry. They are far superior in archival rating than pigment prints, but they have an unrivalled tonal range and three-dimensional feel that compliments the intimacy of the portraits.

Wildlife photography can be a solitary profession, so I consider myself blessed to have three mentors who have provided invaluable advice and guidance, especially over the last year. I’ve realised how important it is to have a strong relationship with your galleries and realise that I wouldn’t be making these rare prints or pushing myself as much as I am if it wasn’t for the mentorship and guidance I have received. Alex Trimper, Co-Owner of Isabella Garrucho Fine Art, has helped me grow as an artist and constantly pushes me to go further as I strive for excellence. He is always there to pick up the phone whenever I have something to ask and has taken the time to introduce me to two of my all-time favourite photographers. Tyler Shields and Jimmy Nelson have taken time out of their busy schedules to offer invaluable advice, support, guidance and invaluable direction and inspiration for my photography over the past months, for which I am forever grateful.

Widewalls: Could you share some of your future plans and projects with us?

JL: Right now, I have two photographs in my head, and preparations are underway to make them a reality. I have plans to photograph the last known white giraffe in Kenya. The low percentage shots get me very excited as the feeling is indescribable when you succeed. My other plan for the near future is to photograph rhinos on foot from just a metres distance. There is a location in Kenya where the wild rhinos have become so comfortable in the presence of humans that with the right guide, it is possible to position yourself on the ground at the feet of rhinos. I will also be supporting two new organisations, which is particularly exciting for me. I currently support seven different organisations in East Africa, but I am always looking to expand this.

James Lewin - Lethal Looks, 2020

James Lewin - The Gentlemen's Club, 2020

BTS NEW RELEASES 2021, James Lewin Photography

Isabella Garrucho Fine Art Gallery - James Lewin Photography

Featured image: James Lewin - The Orphans of Reteti, 2020. All images courtesy of the artist.

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