23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Watcher of the Dawn
I had followed this elusive predator through early morningt, hoping to capture not its speed or strength, but its solitude. When the moment came, color drained from the sky, leaving a quiet gradient between darkness and light. I framed the leopard against that pale backdrop, using the interwoven branches to suggest both confinement and protection—a metaphor for the delicate balance of life in the wild.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 10.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 12.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Maasai Mara, Kenya |
| Camera: | NIKON Z 9 |
| Copyright: | © Yoshiki Nakamura |