A few years ago, on the open plains of Maasai Mara, I was in the midst of elephants and within touching distance of a couple of them. I felt a primeval sense of being, a connection to a distant past. I wondered if I could translate that feeling into photographs.

I opted for an approach that is immediate, intimate, immersive, inclusive and involving but which also gives a feeling of space. I wanted to impart to the viewer what it feels like – mentally and physically – to be inside the vast and lively landscape of Maasai Mara, being among wild animals. In this way, I hope the viewer can open up to Mara and its animals – feel the earth, smell the wind, and touch the elephant’s wrinkled skin. Then, perhaps, the viewer might connect with The Mara and extend sympathy to this natural world.