Lions, Sunrise & Fog

Photographer's note:

On that morning on the 20th of March 2002, shortly after leaving Little Governors’, there, they were lying right next to the track: the Bilashaka Pride’s “mamas”.
The morning fog was slowly moving southwards and the sun was rising right in time to illuminate the three sleeping lions and the one who carefully watched to ensure that no easy prey could pass.
“Lions, Sunrise & Fog” shows that the leading actors have to be rarely searched for in the Mara. And it proves, that every actor’s performance is also depending on the appropriate stage set. To me, the rising sun and the slowly moving fog represent “spots on” and “curtains up” for the lions’ favourite part called “sleeping eighteen hours a day”.
The Mara National Reserve has so many wonderful main actors and actresses, indeed. But all of them are supported at any time by a stage set that is capable to act as if it was the main actor itself. Thus, it most effectively bridges the main actors’ supposedly taken intervals, and it ensures that every play performed in the Mara becomes an unforgettable experience which is to me, in the end, the essence of the Masai Mara.

Technical information:

Camera: Contax G2
Lens: Biogon 2.8/21mm & Orange Filter (#15)
Film: Ilford HP5 (24x36mm)
Film Developer: Ilford ID11 at N+1
Print: By hand on Oriental Seagull fibre based neutral tone paper
Positive Developer: Ilford Multigrade IV for 2’15’’
Stop/Fix Bath: Ilfostop and Ilford Hypam for 30’’ and 4’ respectively
Selenium Toner: Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner diluted at 1:9 with Ilford Washaid working solution