Wildlife photographer and author Scott Ramsay delves into the magic of the continent in his book Spirit of Africa, explaining why nature is sacred
Did you have an influence in your youth that shaped your career path?
Scott Ramsay: Growing up in Cape Town, my parents used to take me and my sisters to the Kruger Park for our winter holidays. We’d drive up to see my oupa and ouma in Joburg, then carry on to Kruger for two weeks. I’ll never forget standing at the braai with my dad, turning the lamb chops on the grid while he had a cold beer in his hand and listening to hyenas howling and lions roaring.
You went from a career in the corporate world to the bush, working as a photographer, explorer and writer. Talk about worlds apart! What sparked that change?
I felt trapped and extremely claustrophobic. I hated sitting inside an office building all day, at a desk, behind a computer, dressed in a suit and tie. I fell into a huge depression, and for some reason, I kept daydreaming of elephants and baobab trees. That vision prompted me to get the hell out of the corporate world and immerse myself in wild Africa.
Your travels on the African continent – has there been an experience that has had a profound impact on you?
There are many. Sitting at the feet of a bull elephant in Mana Pools was the closest I’ve been to an experience with God. Terrifying, but unbelievably powerful. Camping solo in the Kalahari for a few weeks with no other people around, and after a few days, I seemed to merge with my surroundings. It was a deeply meditative and spiritual experience. Every time I sleep outside under the stars in the African wilderness next to a small campfire, I feel that life makes sense, and I’m recalibrated back to my essential self.
How far off the beaten track have you gone, and do you have any harrowing tales about it?
Walking with some local guides into a remote part of the forest during a big project in the Congo, we came to another village, and the men there were angry that we hadn’t asked for their permission first. They started fighting with my guides, and things got a bit hairy. While they sorted things out between themselves, I went to hide behind a tree while things calmed down! Discretion is the better part of valour, right?
I know it’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is: do you have a most-loved country in Africa and why?
That’s a hard one. I don’t have a favourite, but if I had to choose, I’d say my own country of South Africa. I’ve spent three years travelling to all of South Africa’s parks and did my first book on that. SA is so diverse – scenically, biologically and culturally. I love all the different landscapes, oceans and languages. There’s a surprise around every corner, and the spirit of South Africa is irrepressible. We never give up. I love that!
And wildlife that you’re particularly drawn to?
I’m drawn to all animals, but I love showing the animal in context of the landscape. I want people to feel the spirit of the land, to feel what it’s like to actually be there, immersed in the moment. When I look at all my photos from the past 15 years, somehow elephants seem to be a regular subject. That wasn’t intentional, but perhaps I’m subconsciously drawn to them in some way, especially the old big bull elephants.
Your photographs are incredible. Looking at the cover of Spirit Of Africa, with an elephant dwarfed by albida trees – how do you go about selecting a cover image from what I can only guess are thousands of photos taken in the field that have a wow factor?
The cover image is my kind of image. An elephant – the biggest mammal on Earth – dwarfed by the trees and landscape. There’s vulnerability and awe in the image. That for me is what Africa’s about. Feeling vulnerable and being in awe. A vast, pristine landscape with wild animals roaming wild and free. Africa is incredibly rich in these scenes and we ought to be very proud that our continent still has them. I’m proud to be African, and I’m so grateful that I was born on a continent that is showing the rest of the world how to conserve and protect wild nature.
How long does it take to put a book together like this?
The photos come from the past 20 years of my work and travels around Africa. Much of the text in the book has been on my mind for several years. From the start of writing to design, printing and distribution, the whole project took about two years.
The book isn’t only a photographic journey – it’s beautifully complemented by your storytelling of the people and places. What is the message you are hoping to portray by putting so much of yourself into this stunning product?
My message is simple: Nature is sacred. It is precious beyond measure and it is healing to the human soul. It certainly gave my life meaning. Wild Africa is our original home. Everyone on Earth has their origins in African wilderness. And all wild animals and wild places have a right to exist on their own terms, without humans always taking from nature. The Earth hasn’t been given to humans to use and abuse. We are visitors on the planet for a brief time, on the only planet in the universe we know of that has life. And what life! It is a truly spiritual experience to be alive and healthy on this wondrous planet. We should honour it by being extremely mindful of our individual and collective impacts on the rest of life on Earth.
Text | Heléne Ramackers
Photography | Scott Ramsay
For more information, go to scottramsay.africa
