Michel Ghatan

Wildlife photography artist Michel Ghatan has dedicated himself to capturing East African wildlife since his first visit to Tanzania in 2010. He has since continued to explore Botswana, Kenya, and most recently, Uganda, tracking wildlife with the help of local Maasai, Kikuyu and Samburu warriors.

Michel’s photo shoots take the form of walking safaris, the most considerate way of approaching these magnificent and typically endangered animals, which include elephants, lions, and mountain gorillas. Using a 35mm lens, Michel would observe his subjects for hours, often from barely two metres away, waiting for the perfect moment.

“There is a lot of intimate dating between the moment you arrive and the moment you take the shot. Nothing is staged. You’re dealing with wild animals, so everything is on their terms, not mine. […] It’s a process where you try to measure each other out. Then you have to build a trust and a connection and try to move smoothly whilst keeping your distance, especially with elephants. […] Measuring the distance between you and the animal whilst predicting his behaviour as well as what he is allowing you to do is a big part of what I do.” – Michel Ghatan

Read Michel’s issue of the Photo London magazine here.