Photographing an African safari (Big Cats Only)

November 27, 2013

Boston Globe Staff photographer Essdras M Suarez experienced a two week safari in Kenya and Tanzania this year. Here is a selection of what he captured and thoughts upon his return:
As a photojournalist, you’re always looking to capture moments that define life. In the wild, you’re witnessing life or death situations, and it’s a truly humbling experience. We’re used to living in a world where we humans are top predators and life is extremely safe. When you find yourself in an environment where you’re no longer the top predator, it puts things in perspective to see how and where we fall within the food chain. I never thought I’d be excited photographing nature, but I found myself completely entranced by the whole experience and I can’t wait to do it again.

 

This scarred-face lion gave us his full attention causing chills down our spines when someone in our vehicle forgot that you are not supposed to stand up or to make abrupt movements. We were photographing a recent kill by a pride of lions in the outskirts of Serengeti National Park in Southern Tanzania. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography)

  

This pride of lions, which according to our ranger Joseph was comprised of about 20 plus individuals, had killed this buffalo overnight about a mile and a half away from our tented camp located in Southern Tanzania in the outskirts of Serengeti National Park. The raucuous had woken us all up as we heard what sounded to be a life and death struggle outside of our tents. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography)

  

 

This lonely lioness was gnawing at the remains of a fresh kill made by another pride of lions. The rangers had said that for some reason she had been kicked out of her pride and she had been seen roaming alone. At the time it was thought she would not survive but she had somehow thrived perhaps by scavenging. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography)

 

After getting tired of playing with his siblings this lion cub decided he would "hunt" his mother who had been watching over them at Klein's Camp, a private reserve in southern Tanzania. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography)

 

 A leopard relaxes at dusk, as this nocturnal feline readies itself for the hunt at the prey-filled Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography.

 

A young cheetah darts for the safety offered by tall bushes after being found out in the open in the late afternoon hours. These graceful creatures hold the land-speed record for four-legged animals with maximum speeds up to 120km/h. (Essdras M Suarez/EMS Photography) 

 

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