May 21 : 2026
Lori Dove
Lori's winning image pairs the magic of an aerial perspective with nature's infinite possibilities, yielding something at once calming, ethereal, and quietly documentary.
by Lily Fierman
Q:
Can you please tell us more about creating your winning image, “Textures in Motion”?
A:
One of the things I love about aerial photography over Lake Magadi is that every flight is a brand new experience! You will never get the same experience twice! In past flights, I’ve focused on the incredible colors seen from above. The landscape lends itself to bright pinks and reds. However, the textures and lines created by the salt, wind, temperature, etc., create the perfect opportunity to highlight black and white photography. I originally did not “see” this photo in black and white, but when I looked at it in Lightroom, it definitely seemed like it could stand on its own without color. As a nod to the amazing colors seen in the original photo, I processed this picture with just a hint of red in the shadows and midtones.
Q:
Who or what shaped the way you see?
A:
The biggest influence in my photography journey has been Andrew Beck. He is a wildlife photographer located in Johannesburg and runs the company Wild-Eye Photographic Tours. I met Andrew in 2020 and traveled with him to Kenya. He showed me that photography wasn’t just a set of rules to be followed to get a good picture, but was a medium for expression, and that expression could be anything I wanted it to be. He encouraged me to look at scenes in different ways and from outside the box. I’ve really appreciated that advice to this day!
Q:
How do you know when an image is finished and when it's truly ready to be seen?
A:
That is a very hard question to answer. As an amateur photographer, I find that images I created a few years ago can still be re-edited and improved on as I learn and develop my own style. I do like to edit a photo, revisit it a few days later, and see if it still evokes the emotion I want it to. I want the person seeing the picture to, in some way, feel as if they understand what was special about that moment and why I hit the shutter button.
What I realized was that I was searching so hard for these images, I was missing out on the ones right in front of me.
Q:
I see your images are both in color and black and white. Do you shoot with monochrome in mind, or does the decision come later?
A:
I love this question as it’s evolved so much over the past 10 years! I remember my first landscape photography trip in 2015, when I was first starting out and was new to photography. Our guide kept suggesting black and white opportunities, and I couldn’t understand why I would give up the beautiful color we were seeing. It’s only been in the past few years that I’ve started seeing images in black and white before I even hit the shutter button! Light, dark, shadows, lines, textures; all these elements can stand on their own without color. While I love to shoot both mediums, I’ve come to appreciate how creative I can be when I strip away the color.
Q:
What do you want people to feel when they look at your work?
A:
More than anything, I want people to see something different in my work. I don’t want to create an image that’s been seen many times before. And to be frank, I’m at the beginning of this journey. I’m fairly new to wildlife photography, and I’m just now beginning to find my path and have the confidence to try something different.
Q:
You mentioned in your bio that you are a frequent visitor to Africa to create your photography. What are some of the unexpected lessons you’ve learned from your time there? What are your favorite places to photograph on the continent?
A:
The biggest lesson I’ve learned since I began photographing wildlife is to drop all your expectations and stay in the moment. When I booked my first African adventure, I had all these images in my head that I wanted to capture: a lioness carrying her cub, a tower of giraffes silhouetted at sunset, a leopard climbing a tree. What I realized was that I was searching so hard for these images, I was missing out on the ones right in front of me. Nature is unpredictable and wild, and you can’t force photos that aren’t there. Another lesson I learned is patience! Animals work on their schedule, not ours. I’ve waited 8 hours in Ndutu for a lioness to come down a beautiful tree, and it never happened. I’ve spent two days at a wild dog den to see the puppies, and they never came out. However, when nature decides to reward your patience and perseverance, it is magic!
My favorite places in Africa to photograph have to be Zambia and Kenya. In Zambia, I’m particularly fond of Busanga Plains as the diverse landscape allows for some amazing opportunities to capture animals in environmental shots. Whether it’s the lechwe splashing through the floodwaters or lions hunting in the grasslands, these plains deliver the wildlife! In Kenya, I’ve developed a love for the aerial and hide photography. Lentorre Lodge, in particular, allows me to explore both of these mediums. I can photograph the lions that visit at night or take to the skies and capture the incredible scenes below!
Q:
What subject is next on your list?
A:
I am currently in Laikipia, Kenya, photographing the black leopard known as Giza. Afterwards, I head to Svalbard and Alaska to hopefully capture bears for the first time!
ARTIST
