Thanda: Into the Heart of Zululand

Thanda: Into the Heart of Zululand

South Africa | Monday, January 14, 2013 | 5 photos

In one moment, a photograph can change your perception or inspire you to act. For me, photography isn’t just about expressing what I believe; it’s about giving others a story. In October 2011, I traveled to South Africa to live in the heart of Zululand on a game reserve. After the tumultuous journey, two plane rides and a 4-hour drive, I settled into my new home surrounded by wildlife. My time there was mostly spent learning how to identify lions and elephants, tracking and logging the animals’ locations, while recording the information from behind the lens. Along with daily game drives, we did three days of conservation work a week performing various projects for the reserve. We also spent some time in the local communities teaching the school kids about the animals and how to become more sustainable. After arriving home, I had a small exhibition selling my photographs to raise money for the Happy Africa Foundation. Realizing how much joy and happiness this brought me, I knew I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer, not only to open my own eyes, but also to open others. I am now studying photography at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.