Africa
It was always my dream to go to Africa. As a photographer seeing the images Herb Ritts did on his journey in the early nineties only compounded my attraction. I was obsessed with his images, the light, the people, everything about it. The moment I arrived in the bush and saw a line of warriors on the ground below waiting to greet us as we landed, I was in heaven. My dream come true. It was a visual and spiritual awakening for me. I didn’t stop shooting the entire time I was there. I never had such a fun experience shooting. Interacting with the people and having the animals look straight through my lens was heart stopping. Even the trees spoke to me. It truly is magic there. What strikes me the most about Africa is that the people are so heartfelt and emotionally intelligent, so soulful and happy in their natural habitat. Its the circle of life, the way nature works is a spiritual experience that I wish for everyone. I think the image Westerners have of Africa is mostly famine, aids and poverty, however there is heaven there and the people are the most special in the world. The brave warriors and mothers and elders. Its an incredible dyingculture. While on my journey there I met Dr. Iain Douglas Hamilton and his wife, Oria who I've become great friends. I took a photograph of an Elephant Skull for Iain that just encompasses so much of what his his work with Elephants is about and is one of my favorite images. All the proceeds from this image goes to SAVE THE ELEPHANTS. The skull looks human and the tusks have been sawed off (while the elephant was alive) by poachers. Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton proved that elephants have empathy and he stopped (for awhile) the horrific poaching of elephants. He has since come up with a way to track the elephants learning that they travel the same path all the time so that he can warn the people not to build their villages in the path, thus promoting peace between the elephants and the people. His beautiful Italian wife Oria takes care of the education and health care in the Samburu reserve. Please check out www.savetheelephants.com if you'd to learn more about their amazing efforts. I hope you enjoy the images from this series. I am working on another series of Africa to be out in 2012.