Michael Davy Photography

Home
Kenya
Nairobi
Michael Davy Photography

Directions Website

Explore my limited edition wildlife prints — crafted for collectors and adventurers.

23/09/2026

Same moment. Different story.

It’s one of the things I love most about photography - the photograph doesn’t necessarily finish when you press the shutter.

In colour, my eye goes to the setting. The warmth of the dry season, the greens holding on in the background, the blue of the sky and the way the lion sits within all of it. It feels very much like a moment in a place.

Take the colour away and, for me, the photograph becomes more about him. His eyes, the texture of his coat, the old fallen timber and all those lines and shapes around him. There’s less competing for your attention and somehow the encounter feels a little more immediate.

Neither is necessarily more “correct” than the other. They’re the exact same frame, taken at the exact same moment - just two interpretations of what I saw.

And I think that’s a part of photography we sometimes forget. The camera records what was in front of us, but how we choose to finish an image says something about what we felt was important in that moment.

Colour or black & white - which tells the story better for you?

Shot on Canon USA R5 + 24-70 f2.8 L IS USM lens at 70mm

Competitive Cameras

19/08/2026

There are few things that make you feel quite as insignificant as a male lion walking straight towards you.

He wasn’t interested in us. There was no aggression, no drama - we simply happened to be in the direction he wanted to go.

So we switched off, sat quietly and let him come.

Closer and closer, until eventually he walked straight past.

Sometimes the best thing you can do with wildlife is nothing at all.

18/08/2026

There are few experiences quite like sitting quietly at a waterhole as a herd of elephants arrives.

No engines running. No need to move. Just sitting at eye level, watching them drink, dust and interact with one another - completely undisturbed and seemingly unaware of us.
It’s in moments like these that you realise how different it feels when wildlife comes to you.

As the dry season takes hold in South Luangwa, water becomes increasingly important and our waterholes at Sungani become gathering places for elephants and wildlife from across this remote part of the National Park.

You can spend hours here. Sometimes very little happens. And then, suddenly, you find yourself sharing the afternoon with an entire herd.

For me, sitting quietly with elephants at a waterhole remains one of the ultimate safari experiences - especially when has brought the snacks 💚

17/08/2026

August at Sungani.

There is a particular feeling to the bush at this time of year. The landscape dries, the colours soften and water becomes the thread around which life begins to gather.

Some mornings are about lions emerging from the shadows. Others, elephants throwing the last of a shrinking lagoon over their backs. A giraffe standing quietly watching lions, a coucal in the thorns, or simply watching the sun disappear behind a familiar tree.

Not every moment needs to be extraordinary to be worth photographing.
August has been a reminder of that - to look beyond the obvious, to enjoy the quieter encounters and to photograph this place as it is, rather than always searching for what might come next.

A few frames from life at Sungani this month.

13/08/2026

For the love of lions 🦁

There’s something about a cat looking up.

The eyes seem to speak a language we can’t quite comprehend - courage, curiosity, uncertainty, instinct.

The two young males are beginning to establish themselves here, stepping into a landscape they are still learning and a future that is far from certain.

For now, they watch. They listen. They test the boundaries.

And somewhere behind that stare is the quiet confidence of a lion beginning to understand his place in the wild.

05/08/2026

Future kings 🦁

As young male lions their world is full of trials by combat. Avoiding dominant males being a big part of their existence until the day comes they can challenge for their own piece of the Luangwa valley. Watching these two males over the season has been fantastic - their growth in confidence exponential. Looking forward to seeing what their future holds.

03/08/2026

Ace, aka SM4, is quickly becoming a crowd favourite!

Of the many things I love about the big cats, two stand out: when they look up with curiosity, and when they flick their tail in irritation.

The words to explain why escape me, but perhaps it’s because these are such quintessential feline traits that they make them all the more endearing.

If you know, you know.

02/08/2026

July! What a month. Filled with some incredible sightings at Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp the place that just keeps on giving 🫶

27/07/2026

Some moments make you stop and hold your breath.

Locking eyes with a lion is one of those moments. Words can’t describe it - it’s quite simply unforgettable.

Shot on R1 - 240fps 🫶

Follow for more incredible wildlife moments.

23/07/2026

Emerald Odyssey has been an idea in the making for a long time. More than just a photography tour, it’s about slowing down, spending time with wildlife, and creating images with intention. Nick and I can’t wait to share some of our favourite places, stories and moments with you. This is Africa, photographed differently.

Limited spaces available!

[email protected]

Address

Nairobi

Website

http://www.michaeldavyphotography.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Michael Davy Photography posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.