Kenya wildlife

Being in the midst of teeming wildlife in the African savannah is awe-inspiring to say the least and entirely absorbing of both mind and body, despite the familiarity stemming from countless photographs and big screen classics set in this amazing landscape of wide vistas and big skies. But despite all the images that one has seen over the years, there is nothing that can match the personal enrichment one derives from seeing the drama unfold in real life – and having the privilege to record it all through the lens in person as a first-time witness. Above all, this is an opportunity to once again instil a sense of awe and to renew awareness globally of the need to preserve our ecosystems and to conserve the wildlife which are under severe threat from climate change and from the depraved actions of poachers and traffickers of animal parts, feeding the mindless demand for dubious medicines, funding distant wars and to sate their selfish interests, personal aggrandisement and avarice.

Harvesting the vineyards of Geneva

 

Harvesting the vineyards of Geneva

Autumn brings in a waft of cool, crisp air, quite welcome following an uncharacteristically hot summer in 2016 – the hottest in recorded history across Europe and many parts of the world. In Geneva’s vineyards, as the leaves gradually drain their green, turning yellow and rust before giving up their place altogether on the uniformly and meticulously trimmed bushes, there is a flurry of activity to pick the grapes at precisely the right moment of ripeness. The harvest season began on slopes rolling off the Jura mountains in late September, bringing in a rich haul marking the 2016 vintage.

Domaine des Charmes, Peissy, Geneva