There are places you visit because they are beautiful.
And then there are places that quietly change the person you are.
For me, that place is Amboseli National Park in Kenya – the birthplace of Craig,
one of Africa’s last great Super Tuskers, and the place where my heart found a
home I never knew I was searching for.
I first set foot in Amboseli in May 2023.
I had seen countless photographs of its famous elephants and the mighty Mount
Kilimanjaro. I thought I knew what to expect.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The moment the little charter aircraft touched down and I stepped onto the warm
African soil, I looked up – and there she was.
Mount Kilimanjaro.
Africa’s highest mountain stood before me in complete silence, her snow-covered
summit glowing above the dusty plains. Beside her stood her ancient volcanic
companions, Mawenzi and Shira, completing a landscape so magnificent that I
simply stood still.
I forgot to breathe.
Some places take your breath away.
Amboseli makes you forget to breathe.
As the first rays of golden sunlight spread across the plains, I watched enormous
elephant families emerge from the shadow of Kilimanjaro. Slowly they made their
daily journey from the foothills towards the marshes, where fresh underground
springs provide water and life throughout the day.
There was no hurry.
No fear.
Only gentle giants moving together as families have done for generations.
Tiny calves walked safely beneath their mothers.
Old matriarchs led with quiet confidence.
The great bulls carried ivory that seemed almost too magnificent to be real.
As they passed close to our vehicle, I could hear their soft rumbles, smell the warm
scent of earth and elephant, and watch golden dust rise beneath every enormous
footstep.
It wasn’t simply something I photographed.
It was something I felt.
Every encounter touched something deep within my soul.
September transforms Amboseli into another world altogether.
The rains have long disappeared, the plains become dry and dusty, and every
passing elephant creates clouds of golden dust that dance through shafts of evening
light.
For photographers, it is paradise.
Every sunrise feels like a painting.
Every sunset feels like a farewell.
Every frame tells another story.
And always, watching over it all, stands Kilimanjaro.
Sometimes she hides behind a veil of clouds.
Sometimes, if you are patient – or perhaps simply blessed – she reveals herself in
all her glory.
My home away from home is the beautiful Ol Thukai Lodge, nestled beneath the
watchful gaze of the mountain. Each morning I would pull back my curtains with
quiet anticipation.
Would today be one of those magical mornings?
On the most unforgettable days, Kilimanjaro would lift her veil.
Her icy glaciers would catch the first golden light while elephants wandered
peacefully across the plains below.
Those mornings felt almost sacred.
The kind that leaves you speechless.
As the African sun slips behind the plains of Amboseli, Ol Tukai Lodge comes
alive with a different kind of magic.
Guests gather in the cosy pub, sharing stories of the day’s safari over a cold Tusker,
their faces glowing with excitement and contentment.
In the corner sits an elderly Amboseli gentleman, gently strumming his guitar as
timeless African melodies like Jambo Bwana and Malaika drift through the
evening air.
The music, the laughter, the warmth of the fire, and the gentle spirit of Africa
create a moment that is impossible to forget.
It is in these simple evenings, surrounded by kind souls beneath the shadow of
Kilimanjaro, that you realise true happiness isn’t found in grand moments – it is
found in the quiet feeling that your heart is so full it could burst.
It never felt like a lodge.
It felt like coming home.
Amboseli is far more than elephants.
Lions resting beneath Africa’s tallest mountain.
Elegant cheetahs disappearing through golden grass.
Hyenas calling beneath a sky filled with stars.
And then there are the lakes.
Fed by crystal-clear underground water flowing from the melting glaciers high on
Mount Kilimanjaro, these wetlands breathe life into the entire ecosystem. Although
the mountain appears dry on its lower slopes, water filters beneath the volcanic
rock before emerging as natural springs that sustain Amboseli throughout the year.
These shimmering lakes are alive.
Thousands upon thousands of flamingos paint the water pink.
Pelicans glide effortlessly across the surface.
Herons, egrets, spoonbills, crowned cranes and countless other bird species
transform Amboseli into one of Africa’s greatest birding destinations.
When thousands of flamingos suddenly lift into the sky together, their wings
creating a soft chorus across the water, it becomes impossible not to stand in
complete awe.
It is nature’s orchestra.
One of the greatest gifts Amboseli has given me is something no photograph can
truly capture.
Friendship.
On my very first visit in May 2023, I met a Maasai warrior named Jonathan.
He invited me to visit his home, Esitetsi Village.
I accepted.
Little did I know that one invitation would become one of the greatest blessings of
my life.
Now, every time I return to Amboseli, I return to Esitetsi.
I am welcomed with warm smiles, open hearts, laughter and embraces that make
me feel like family.
The women sit creating intricate beadwork, every colour carrying meaning.
Children run barefoot through the dusty paths, their laughter echoing through the
village.
Proud Maasai warriors, dressed in their vibrant red shúkàs, stand watch over the
community that has protected this land – and its wildlife – for generations.
I love photographing the Maasai people.
I photograph the Maasai not simply to preserve their image, but to honour their
spirit.
Behind every face lies a story of resilience, courage, tradition, and an unbreakable
connection to the land they have protected for generations.
Their proud eyes, warm smiles, vibrant red shukas, and unwavering love for their
culture move me deeply.
Every portrait is my way of saying, “I see you. I honour you. I will help your story
live on.”
Through my lens, I hope others will feel the same admiration, respect, and love
that I carry in my heart every time I stand among these extraordinary people.
When I return home, I print many of the portraits I captured and bring them back
on my next visit.
Watching someone see their portrait for the very first time is one of the greatest
joys I have ever experienced.
Their faces light up.
Their smiles become unforgettable.
Their gratitude humbles me every single time.
Often, I find myself asking one simple question.
Who is truly receiving the gift?
Am I the fortunate one for returning to this remarkable village?
Or are they the fortunate ones for welcoming me back with such warmth?
Deep inside, I already know the answer.
I am the blessed one.
Standing there with my dusty boots planted firmly in the warm red earth beneath
endless blue African skies, surrounded by elephants, Maasai friends and the
magnificent Kilimanjaro, I feel exactly where I am meant to be.
Every visit leaves another piece of my heart behind.
And every departure fills my eyes with tears.
Because leaving Amboseli never becomes easier.
It becomes harder.
Then there was Craig.
The magnificent gentle giant whose story inspired my book, Through My Lens:
A Love Letter to Craig.
Craig no longer walks these plains.
His enormous footprints have disappeared beneath new seasons and fresh rains.
But somehow…
I still feel him.
I imagine him emerging through the golden dust.
I picture him walking slowly beneath Kilimanjaro with quiet dignity.
I hear his story carried gently on the Amboseli wind.
His physical footprints may have faded.
But the footprints he left upon my heart never will.
Amboseli gave me far more than unforgettable photographs.
She gave me perspective.
She gave me friendships.
She gave me purpose.
She gave me memories that will stay with me forever.
Most of all, she gave me Craig.
And although one of Africa’s greatest giants now belongs to history, his spirit lives
on – in this remarkable land, in the people who continue to protect it, and within
every page of Through My Lens: A Love Letter to Craig.
Forever, a piece of my heart will belong beneath the shadow of Mount
Kilimanjaro.
Forever, I will return to the Land of Giants.
Forever, Craig will walk beside me.
Until we meet again, Amboseli.