The Camargue horse is an ancient breed, indigenous to the Camargue region and one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. They live in small herds, managed by gardians, who oversee their semi-wild lifestyle.

Gardians, who are the local cowboys, live a similar culture to cowboys of the 19th century, and are known for their traditional attire and skills in herding and riding. They use Camargue horses to herd livestock, including the region's famous black bulls, and for various tasks in the wetlands.

I had yearned to see the Camargue horses since first hearing about them in my geography class in school. Many decades later, I decided to make that wish a reality and, in June 2022, I took myself and my full camera bag to the South of France.

With an organised group, we’d wake at dawn, meeting gardians in different settings, return much later for a late breakfast, photo download and a nap. We would go out again for a sunset session, returning way after restaurants had stopped serving – I went to bed hungry!

Spending several dawns with these elegant creatures was unforgettable. They are often referred to as "Horses of the Sea" due to their association with the beaches and waters of the marshes. Their stillness as the sun rose had an almost magical quality. I wanted to just tiptoe around them as I snapped. The light was beautiful and different every day. There is something electrifying in standing on the path of a galloping herd of horses, on a beautiful beach. Their bright white manes flying in the wind, their hooves shooting water droplets high in the air as they’re coming straight at you!! But you stay very still, you don’t move except for the finger on your shutter button, and once they’re almost upon you, they gracefully part and splash their way past you….phew!!! What an incredible experience.

Watching and capturing the interactions between mothers (and sometimes fathers as in the case of penguins) and their babies in the wild is my favorite type of photography.

I fell in love with penguins during my few days in Antarctica, in January 2024. These birds are so ill equipped for the conditions they must live in and yet they make it, they survive and thrive although their biggest threat comes from mankind. Global warming threatens their precarious existence because it impacts sea ice which is crucial to many species. It alters ocean conditions which affects their food sources. The increasing ice melting in Antarctica also affects their survival because baby penguin’s soft, fluffy down feathers for warmth are not waterproof. As the ice melts, it’s increasingly difficult for them to find dry ice. If they get wet before their down molts and is replaced by proper feathers, they die of the cold.

I enjoyed spending a few hours watching happy penguin families (both parents equally look after their chicks), cuddling, feeding, sleeping against each other. I hope they touch your heart as they touched mine.

We spent over 2 hours sitting in a Land Rover, only a few meters away from a lioness and her 3 cubs. Watching their antics, their interactions, the way they climbed all over each other and jumped on their mother, wandered away to explore, tried to play with their irate father who only wanted to be left alone; until she wisely took them away (before he lost his temper and swiped in exasperation). It was delightful.

The leopard cub hiding behind her log, watching us warily, is waiting for her mother to come back. Leopard mothers leave their cubs alone for short periods, a few hours but sometimes days, while they go hunting or patrol their territory. Two cubs were left by their mother in this safe spot, near a little pond and a few trees in the hope that they will stay safe. While their mother is out, cubs learn to be independent and develop their own hunting skills, which is crucial for their survival. We witnessed this when a kudu came to the small waterhole and the male cub adopted a very threatening position, lowering his body and started to crawl towards the potential prey. It was very cute because the kudu was huge and the leopard cub just a tiny kitten. But you could see the fierce predator he would become.

A couple of days later, we saw the cubs being reunited with their mother. She had killed an impala and hidden the carcass. She went to get her cubs, safely bringing them to feed.

This was a sweet moment between the mother grizzly and her 2 cubs, in Yellowstone National Park. I had to find a short title and settled on “Teaching time” but what I really think this photo says is “I told you we’d get in trouble!”. I can just imagine that thought going through the brain of the little cub on the right while his brother seems to be reprimanded by his mother. The expression on the face of the cub on the left is priceless!

Elephants sometimes playfully bump into each other, chase each other, pull each other’s tails, these playful interactions being a way for them to bond and strengthen their social relationships. It’s quite entertaining to see these titans play in this way, especially because they usually look so mighty and imposing. I enjoyed the “smile” like expression on the smaller elephant.

While driving around the bush in Botswana, we came across a very large herd of elephants. Our driver stopped our vehicle some way ahead of them. The elephants continued towards us, pointing their trunks and holding them very straight: they were smelling us, analysing and assessing our scents. The little one in my photo was trotting along, oblivious to the potential danger. His sister gently reached out to wrap her trunk around him, slowing him down. This way elephants look after each other, with all female herd members playing a role in raising and protecting the calves is called “other mothering”.

A large herd arrived at the waterhole. I discovered in delight a tiny calf, safely tucked amongst the large elephants’ legs. As they bathed, drank and splashed water and mud on themselves, the baby was always surrounded, well protected by several of the females. It was amazing that he was never crushed in the apparent chaos and flurry of giant legs but it was obvious that they always knew exactly where he was. One of my favourite photos because for an instant we connected, before he disappeared again. When you first see the photo, you know you’re looking at elephants, the thickness and rough texture of their legs, and then your gaze is drawn to the middle and you see the real subject of the image, the baby hiding, his bright eye staring straight at you. Unforgettable.

I love these cats! They are so sleek, so powerful, so beautiful, so indifferent, so intense, so dangerous. Sitting in an open top Land Rover with no doors, sometimes only feet away from these incredible predators, really gets the adrenaline pumping!

The lioness sisters approached the waterhole very carefully, taking their time, scrutinising the area, their every sense alert. The one on the left was heavily pregnant and her sister was looking after her, the very strong bond between them obvious.

The mating dance was fascinating to watch. Lions’ mating ritual can last for days. The female instigates the mating, letting the male know she is ready to mate by releasing a specific scent and suggestively parading in front of him. The mating lasts mere seconds and often ends in a mighty roar but will be repeated every 20-30 minutes, around the clock, for several days during which the pair generally doesn’t eat. I love that I was able to capture the intimacy of this moment.

The leopard lying in such a typical lazy feline way looks so relaxed …and yet, the look in her eyes is so direct…she’s staring straight at me, there is no menace but a very particular watchfulness. She’s sitting on that tree branch, ready to spring if given a chance to pounce on a prey. She’s hungry. Like her mother and 2 siblings, she has not eaten in a couple of days. It’s hot and dry out there and there is a specific intensity in her eyes.

On my first dawn in the Okavango Delta, I was lucky enough to see this pair of lions, two brothers, out for a morning stroll. They were casually following the track, coming straight at us. But our safari vehicle looks like a curiosity and not prey and as a result, they strolled right past us. I could have reached out and petted their mane….but I hadn’t lost my mind, just my breath. What a thrilling encounter. They stopped just a little further down the path and settled down to watch the sunrise.

I love the grace of the cheetah behind her tree, watching the lone steenbok in the distance, wondering if it’ll come close enough for her to attempt the chase. It did and the 3 siblings joined forces for the hunt. Our ranger sped through the savannah to follow them, not an easy task as cheetahs are the fastest animals in the world, reaching speeds of up to 120kph (75mph). They are fast and have amazing acceleration. Despite this, they did not catch their prey and returned, a bit downcast, to the protective shade of their tree.

The lion on the horizon needs no comment. We came upon him as he was walking on a ridge. I was enjoying watching him “up close” through my long lens when he stopped quite suddenly and turned around. He must have heard or sensed something, and I was so happy to capture that moment and the intensity of his gaze.