Laurent Baheux develops his favourite subject, wildlife, exclusively in black and white:‘Africa is rich in colours, but for me it is a land of light and contrast.’By thus simplifying the action of the light, the spectator can reach the essential without being distracted by colour. Laurent Baheux presents photos which emphasize attitudes, animals with almost human looks. He denies being an animal photographer. He makes it his exclusive mission to capture the beauty of a world on borrowed time and is hugely inspired by Peter Beard’s work.Through his repeated journeys and his field experience, Laurent Baheux is aware of the harmful effects of man on the environment and therefore on the species which populate this land. The photographer wants then to show the vividness of these species which are still living, but more than ever threatened and the immense richness that they represent for the planet. His awareness has turned into photographic commitment.

**The artist: Laurent Baheux**

Laurent Baheux was attracted to journalism and editing at first, rapidly discovering a passion for photography and becoming a self-taught photographer. His devoted practice and his knowledge of the sporting world opened the doors to the top press photography agencies. From then on, he covered the main international competitions and channelled his energy towards conditions of speed and extreme demand. He has always been fascinated by Africa. From 2002, during a visit to Tanzania, he began private work on the wild fauna, its beauty, strength, roughness and great fragility. He chose black and white, with its play on shadow, light and contrast, to immortalise rare and ephemeral scenes of nature, constantly trying to sublimate the animals, to capture the magnificence of their attitudes, the emotion of their look? Through this authentic quest, Laurent wants to show the vividness of these species which are still alive, but more menaced than ever, and the immense richness that they represent for the planet. In the continuity of his photographic commitment, he accompanies and supports the deeds of organisations which work for the protection of nature and the preservation of biodiversity. He is also the author of Land of lions, a sensitive and moving work in black and white, like an ode to wild life...