The Serengeti is my favourite place to photograph lions for several reasons. Firstly, The Serengeti remains a stronghold for lions, with around 3,000 individuals. The Serengeti is also home to some of Africa's most impressive lions. Tragically, 100 years ago, an estimated 200,000 lions across Africa have plummeted to only 20,000 today. Another reason is that Serengeti is dotted with numerous captivating rock formations (kopjes), which are often part of a dominant lion prides core territory. They provide a lion pride with almost everything they need. They are the perfect safe place to raise cubs, offer an unparalleled vantage point for scouting potential prey, and the rocks heat up in the day and remain warm long into the evening, making them an excellent resting place. They provide shelter during rainstorms and are also the perfect spot to dry off away from the wet grasses. Aside from being the ideal location for lions, they make the perfect elevation allowing for striking compositions with clean backdrops.

We had seen this mating pair in Northern Serengeti every day over the previous four days with no photographic opportunity. On our last morning in the North, we passed the same area to see if they were still around. To our luck, we found them fast asleep on top of a small kopje. As the sun heated up, they began to stretch, and so we quickly moved into position, predicting the direction they might move. Moments later, they approached the edge of the rock to scan the surroundings for potential prey before descending to a nearby bush for shade.