Of all the many places across Africa that tug strongly on our affections here at Travel Africa, the South Luangwa is a particular favourite. There is something about this place that we connect strongly with. Perhaps it is that its abundant wildlife is not too easily found, thus anticipation and promise hang in the air, and never disappoints.
We’re also fascinated with how photographers are now using their craft to accentuate the stories they find on safari, creating artistic images that emphasise a scene or a behaviour. In not simply replicating what the eye can see, they can allow us to interpret a scene with a greater depth of emotion.
Which is why we just love Patrick Bentley’s new book, Timeless, which is an evocative testimony to this wonderful wilderness, and a reminder to us all of the importance of protecting our fragile natural heritage.
Patrick is a Zambian fine art nature photographer. He creates images using a variety of techniques and ideas to provide a fresh perspective on the natural world, with an emphasis on black and white, infrared and aerial photography, sometimes in combination.
We’re delighted that Patrick is sharing these 20 images from his book with readers of Travel Africa, and we’d love to know what you think of them. Add your comments below.
For more on Patrick visit www.patrickbentley.com or find him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/patrickbentleyphotography) or on Instagram (@patrickbentleyphotography)
At the break of dawn, a male lion wades across the shallow Luangwa River.
Framed by the forest, a foraging elephant stops to feed.
As billowing clouds bring the promise of rain, a herd of elephants cross the shallow Kapamba river.
All eyes were on a leopard making his way through the long grass nearby. A second later and the herd of Impala was gone.
The unblinking eyes of a vigilant lioness.
A tender moment between a leopard mother and cub.
As a warm front fills the evening sky with clouds, a leopard descends to the ground.
Following an ancient pathway, a herd of over 40 elephants make their way across a vast expanse of sand.
Two big elephant bulls follow the course of the Mwamba River.
A feeding bull elephant goes bipedal for extra reach with his trunk.
A beautiful young lioness from the Hollywood pride.
Flying low and fast along the Luangwa River, a flock of cattle egrets head to their roost.
Asleep in the deep shade of a combretum bush a lioness briefly opens her eyes to investigate the sound coming from my camera.
A lioness from the Hollywood pride pauses to look across an oxbow lagoon.
Curved horns on the banks of the ancient Luangwa is all that remains of a battered buffalo bull.
A herd of Buffalo stampede down the bank of the dried-out Mwamba River.
Filtering through the trees the winter sun warms a troop of foraging baboons.
With their legs still wet from crossing the Luangwa, a family of elephants stroll along the sandy river bank.
A Puku mother and calf walk along the bank of the Kapamba River at sunset.
A Crawshay’s zebra in full flight.
If you would like to buy a copy of the book, we are hoping to bring in a small stock, so email us to place an advance order. (Just click on the book cover and an email window will pop up for you to fill in and send to us.) Timeless is a large format fine art book of 140 pages, printed in Italy. Part of the proceeds go to Conservation South Luangwa.
