CONNECTED
Connected is a photographic series about the quiet intimacy between humans and wildlife.
In Connected, I try to capture moments of closeness and recognition, a look, a touch, a feeling of being seen. My images go beyond documentation; they invite you to step into the moment and feel the presence of the animal, as if you were there yourself.
Each photograph is an encounter: between myself and the animal, between the animal and the viewer, and sometimes even between animals themselves.
Connected reminds us that we are all part of the same living world.
Two cheetahs share a grooming moment, one gently licking the other with a tuft of fur caught on its tongue. A tender display of care and connection, highlighting the close bond between these predators in the wild.
A leopard rests in the V of a fig tree, its spotted coat blending with the bark around it. Almost hidden in plain sight, it watches closely with sharp, focused eyes.
Just before the day came to an end, this leopard appeared. Moving silently around the vehicle, the leopard looked me straight in the eyes, an unforgettable ending to the day.
As the day ended, a leopard stepped out from behind the bushes and looked straight at me.
A lioness shakes her head after a rain shower, sending droplets flying in all directions. This natural behavior, known as “head shaking,” helps her dry off and refresh.
Partially concealed by the foliage, a cheetah locks eyes with the camera. Framed naturally by the leaves, this eye-level perspective creates a sense of intimacy, drawing the viewer into the moment.
Two male giraffes, engaged in “necking”, a display of strength and dominance where they swing their long necks in powerful, rhythmic movements. Small flies buzz around their heads, a familiar presence in the wild, drawn to the soft skin near their eyes and ears.
A juvenile pied avocet steps forward through still water, its reflection mirrored beneath it. By photographing at eye level, I was able to align with the bird’s perspective. Juvenile avocets are often found in shallow wetlands like this, where they learn to forage and gradually become independent.
A Eurasian coot crosses a snow-covered wetland during heavy snowfall in the Netherlands. Reduced to a small dark form within an almost endless white landscape, the bird emphasizes the scale and stillness of the winter scene. Extended periods of snow like this have become increasingly rare here.
In the false dawn, with a full moon completing its weary cycle, a male lion patrolled across the eastern quarter of Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya. Everything about his gait said he was ready for a long rest so we only had seconds to line up the frame with the ivory moon, acacia and alpha male.
A grackle pulling grubs from a rain-filled puddle in Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto, Canada.
A Eurasian oystercatcher submerges its head while foraging on a tidal flat on the island of Düne, Germany. The translucent nictitating membrane sweeps across the eye, protecting it as the bird searches for prey beneath the surface.
An oystercatcher on the shoreline at the moment of catching its prey.
A young pied avocet chick lifts an insect from the surface of shallow water in De Nieuwe Driemanspolder, the Netherlands. Droplets scatter from its bill, marking a brief moment during its early attempts at feeding independently.
A young avocet approaches its mother, ready to slip beneath her protective wing. The air was completely still, leaving the water as smooth as a mirror, perfectly reflecting the soft blue of the sky. The gentle evening light cast a warm glow on the avocets, illuminating this intimate moment.
A Northern Gannet in extreme close-up, its piercing blue eye revealed as it peers through the soft, warm blur of another bird. A moment of stillness and focus, hidden in the warmth of the colony.
This is a close-up of a young Northern Gannet chick. Surrounded by its soft white down, it is safe and warm in its first weeks of life.
On Helgoland, a young gannet touches beaks with its parent. This gesture is part of their bonding and care, helping the chick grow strong until it can live on its own.
This hummingbird repeatedly returned to the same plant, eventually pausing in the perfect position. A moment that combined patience, timing, and a little bit of luck.