Shared Ground: Serengeti
Observing the patterns that connect us.
I spent nearly two weeks in the heart of Serengeti National Park, documenting life as it unfolded, unscripted and uninterrupted.
The Serengeti is not just vast, it is deliberate. Every movement, pause, and interaction carries meaning if you take the time to observe it. From subtle details to expansive scenes, the landscape constantly reveals stories to those willing to look closely.
I was in the Serengeti working with Flying Odyssey Balloon Safari, creating visual content that went beyond promotion. Capturing customer experiences, recording interviews, and documenting moments deep within the wilderness. Being immersed in this environment shaped the way I approached both the assignment and my personal work.
Outside the project, I photographed with the same intent not to chase moments, but to witness them. These images are not trophies of rare sightings. They reflect how life organizes itself when left alone, and how closely that order mirrors our own. Different species, governed by the same rhythms.
I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Percy Fernandez for trusting me with this opportunity.
Why Wildlife Photography: The Healing Pill
People often ask me why I choose wildlife photography. Is it the lens, the camera, or the thrill of capturing the perfect shot? The truth is, it’s none of these, it’s the opportunity to be fully be in present. Out here, in the vastness of the Serengeti, there are no bills, no distractions. Every second demands your attention, every movement of grass or call of a bird becomes amplified. Being forced to focus, to wait, to fully immerse yourself in the moment, acts as a reset button for the mind something i named as healing pill. It is in this presence, this stillness, that the real reward lies.
Serengeti’s Silence
The Serengeti has a rhythm of its own a subtle pulse that you only notice when you slow down and pay attention. The plains stretch endlessly, shifting with the light and the breeze, each moment revealing a new story if you’re patient enough to see it. Every rustle of grass, every distant call of a bird, feels amplified in the vastness, reminding you how small and quiet you are in this wild expanse. It is in these quiet moments that the land begins to speak, guiding you toward scenes you could never plan for.
Silent Horizon
This cheetah is in the middle of the plains of the Serengeti, standing on the only higher ground in the area, searching for prey. She is not just scanning the horizon. It is waiting, calculating, and looking for opportunities. Just like we humans do. They are fighting against time. So are we. All for a common goal. Survival. Challenged and tested by the Almighty, with wisdom behind every trial for a greater good.
Life in Rhythm: Lines, Bonds, and Motion
Lines in a Land Without Borders
In the African Savannah where space is limitless and freedom seems boundless, yet the zebras walk in line.
Here in Serengeti There are no traffic signs, no leaders shouting commands, yet they move with harmony, one behind the other. Rhythm is not restriction. Its the way life works.
From the way birds migrate, to rivers carving their path, to these zebras taking each step, the world flows for a reason.
And maybe we too, in our chaotic lives need to pause and find our rhythm.
Even here, in the wildest places there is a design so perfect, it speaks of a creator one who set every path, every creature, in balance.
Quiet Bond
In still waters, life rests together, and strength is found in unity. Their quiet presence shows the care and balance that is built into creation. This order is not random, it is placed with purpose. Side by side, they remind us that life depends on connection. Created by the same hands, all living beings are tied together in this shared design.
Between Motion And Rest
Scouting across the savanna, i came across a pair of lions. A male and a female, resting together as the sun began to set at one end. The atmosphere glowed and peace swept across the land. Moments earlier they had mated, and soon they would rise again. In between was this pause.
Stories of the Giants: Strength, Patience, and Wisdom
Elephants of the Serengeti carry the weight of generations within them. Their rough, textured skin, shaped by years under sun and wind, tells stories of endurance, patience, and wisdom that spans decades. These giants command respect not through force alone, but through their calm presence and deep understanding of the world around them.
Mud tossed over their backs to protect against the sun and pests is a quiet testament to the intelligence and subtlety built into their design. Watching elephants across the Serengeti, one realizes that strength is not measured in power or speed, but in resilience, patience, and the grace to exist in equilibrium with everything around them. The species itself is a teacher, offering insight into endurance, care, and the intricate wisdom of life in the wild.
Play, Discovery, and the In-Between
Heading toward one of the kopjes in the Serengeti, we came across a scene so still it felt unreal. No wind, no movement just endless open plains, empty except for two cheetah cubs playing. Their little eyes scanned the horizon, learning the ways of the wild, helping their mother search for prey, just as we were searching for the perfect shot.
Young Baboon
Young Baboon With Mother
A young baboon nestles safely in his mother’s arms, peeking out with wide-eyed curiosity as he learns about the world from a place of absolute comfort.
Grip Of Innocence
An infant with pure innocence, still figuring out his strength. What’s meant to help him is what holds him back for now. He leaps from a big trunk to a smaller piece, landing beside his brother. A playful push… and he slips. One hand grips the wood, the other grabs his brother’s tail, using it like a rope to climb back up.
The In Between
When Practice Is More Important Than Perfection
I spent some time photographing a young baboon that was still learning how to climb. At first glance it feels like something so small and ordinary, an animal moving around in its own world. But the more I watched, the more I realized how much was happening in those little moments.
He wasn’t smooth or confident. Every move looked clumsy, sometimes even frustrating to watch. He’d slip, hang on awkwardly, and then try again. It wasn’t the dramatic “fight for survival” that we usually imagine when we think of the wild. It was slow, uncertain, and honestly, a little funny at times.
Even here, in a place where instincts are supposed to take over, nothing just happens perfectly.
This series isn’t about perfection or success. It’s about the process, the in between stage we don’t usually get to see.
As the sun dips toward the horizon, the plains settle into stillness. Lions, topis, and jackals exist in their own rhythms, neither rushed nor stagnant. In the vast silence, time feels different; small movements, soft calls, and the faint rustle of grass hold significance. It is in this stillness that the Serengeti reveals its most important lesson: the richness of life is often subtle. Observing without interference, paying attention to these quiet patterns, provides insight, clarity, and a sense of connection to the larger world. Here, presence itself becomes the greatest reward, and the plains offer a chance to learn the unspoken wisdom of life.
Flying Odyssey
On the wide Serengeti plain, two giraffes stood firm as the incredible Odyssey lifted off.
This project was nothing short of a dream for a boy just stepping out of university and landing an opportunity like this. Fifteen days in the camp and the wild, The Serengeti will surely be missed, but not any more than the incredible team at Flying Odyssey.
