LIONS

This is a book that spectacularly does what it says on the cover: each page is devoted to superb black and white photography of lions, shot in their natural habitat in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia and Botswana. Interspersed with the photographs are quotations that illuminate our relationship with the environment, such as "Man must be the guardian of nature, not its owner." Baheux takes his photographs from a distance, working alone, without remote controls, drones or robots. He supports activities against the physical and psychological abuse of animals, and the photos in this book radiate a love of his magnificent subjects. Numerous full-face portraits of lions bring out the combination of nobility and watchfulness that characterises this king of all predators. Seen half-obscured through long grass, a hunting lion patiently waits, and in almost the same pose, a mother watches over seven gambolling cubs, while in an intimate shot, a female picks a tiny cub up between her teeth. Two lions go head to head in a loving embrace, while on the facing page a full-throated roar reveals a terrifying set of teeth. A study of a male with a glorious mane speaks to the viewer of serene dignity, but on the next pages a male in threatening mood is ferociously baring his canine teeth. Lions resting at unusual angles are used to foreground sinewy legs and padded paws, contrasting with lions on the move including a youngster leaping onto a rock and several gracefully running. On top of another rock a pair of lions are having a domestic, with one in mid-roar and the other looking sheepish. A male stretches out on a rockface, turning his head in response to a noise or movement. Many of these photos are taken from unusual angles, and all are simply stunning. 192pp, black and white photos throughout. Huge size, approx. 25 x 32cm.