GIZA STARE
Legend says she’s queen of the darkest nights
and I trust it blind, while the dusk arrives.
I can’t help myself, but she inspires me that,
please forgive my dare, please forget my guts.
In the darkest night, in the wildest land
her bright yellow eyes landed deep on mine.
She stopped by my side, and she managed wise
to detain the time, to make me feel mortal.
And while I lost my breath and my beat let up
she managed keen to steal all my surrendered heart.
It was a dark night. The perfect moment to go hunting when you are a black leopard. Giza, darkness in Swahili, is a melanistic female leopard, with velvet skin. She stopped in front of me and looked straight to my eyes for several and magic seconds. It’s difficult to describe that glorious moment, just deeply touching. I photographed the mysterious black leopard when she’s most active at night. It has been an enormous privilege to witness.
Picture taken in December 2022, Kenya.
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