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Namiri Plains (meaning plains of “big cats” in Swahili) in eastern Serengeti had been closed to public for over 20 years. The main goal was for cats like lions, cheetahs and leopards to replenish in an undisturbed environment. Today these expansive plains with outcrops of multiple kopjes (small hills) are sprawling with apex predators where the Namiri Pride rules a vast territory. It is led by two dominant males, Bob Marley and his brother Ziggy who are both about a decade old. I was very excited to visit these plains to experience an untouched part of Serengeti. We spent multiple days with the Namiri pride without clicking a single image. Over time, the pride along with its skittish cubs and dominant males got quite comfortable with our presence. This was my opportunity to really bring out the individual personalities of these beautiful animals. I have been visiting the Serengeti for over 10 years now and seldom have I seen two dominant males as large as Bob and Ziggy with beautiful golden black dreadlock manes. On one of our drives, we came across Ziggy royally sitting in the middle of the wide open Serengeti with his entire pride scattered around him. It was a bright and sunny day, with a strong wind blowing across the plains. The wind had swept away the clouds which presented an extremely beautiful, plain blue backdrop for the image I had been imagining for years. A rare opportunity to capture the close-up of a perfectly calm yet striking Ziggy. An epitome of raw beauty and power. Technical Specs: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 16-35mm F4L lens, 1/125 sec at F13, ISO 100, remotely triggered. Post Processing: Cropping, Minor Level adjustment, Minor Sharpening.

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