23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Touched by the First Light
At sunrise in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, I set out to photograph the lively movements of lion cubs. The sky to the east was thick with clouds, but for a brief moment a small opening appeared. Through that narrow window, a soft beam of red-tinted light broke through and gently illuminated the mother lion resting beside her young.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 10.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 12.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Maasai Mara, Kenya |
| Camera: | NIKON Z 9 |
| Copyright: | © Yoshiki Nakamura |