I have worked with this big cat, Smokey, on many occasions. He grew up in a sanctuary and responds to half the prompts from his owner and trainer, but none from anyone else. However, given that his presence at the beginning of a shoot is guaranteed, there is a need
to deliver in content. There can be no excuses with focus or composition when a picture is being made rather than taken.

The Valley of Fire in Nevada is about an hour’s drive from Las Vegas. The lunar topography of sand and rock offers a complementary backdrop on which to capture a mountain lion on the move. The goal must be a two-layered narrative—a portrait of the animal set against the backdrop that defines it. That normally points me toward a 35mm or 58mm lens—optically the best two prime lenses in my bag.

In my view, mountain lions have more interesting faces than cheetahs. To me, it is the face of a mountain lion that needs extolling and celebrating, whereas with a cheetah it is the speed and agility. Once that decision has been made, the challenge is to find a way of capturing the lion’s eyes to tell a story. In my mind, the eyes must have intent.

This is therefore a job that is all about focus. The mountain lion must
be focused, and then the photographer must capture it with his own perfect focus. This is not an easy combination. In most of the photographs, the lion is in the wrong position or the wrong mood, and when he is where I want him, maybe only a third of my images are pin sharp. There is a difference between pin sharp and sharp, and this image is pin sharp.