Face-Off with a Lion | Nat Geo Live

this story I also want to tell you very

this story I also want to tell you very very briefly I was actually sitting next

very briefly I was actually sitting next

very briefly I was actually sitting next to a stream

to a stream

to a stream you know camouflaged by the sound of the

you know camouflaged by the sound of the

you know camouflaged by the sound of the stream the water and sitting amongst the

stream the water and sitting amongst the

stream the water and sitting amongst the rocks and waiting for something to come

rocks and waiting for something to come

rocks and waiting for something to come down and drink and and this female came

down and drink and and this female came

down and drink and and this female came down and I was sitting there taking

down and I was sitting there taking

down and I was sitting there taking pictures of her with a big lens and I

pictures of her with a big lens and I

pictures of her with a big lens and I like the perspective it’s like in her

like the perspective it’s like in her

like the perspective it’s like in her realm I’m not in a platform or not in a

realm I’m not in a platform or not in a

realm I’m not in a platform or not in a Jeep I’m like I’m there with her and

Jeep I’m like I’m there with her and

Jeep I’m like I’m there with her and felt really good until she started

felt really good until she started

felt really good until she started walking towards me because you know when

walking towards me because you know when

walking towards me because you know when they see you and they can they can

they see you and they can they can

they see you and they can they can evaluate your presence they can think

evaluate your presence they can think

evaluate your presence they can think okay what’s that okay not not good this

okay what’s that okay not not good this

okay what’s that okay not not good this is interesting then you know how to deal

is interesting then you know how to deal

is interesting then you know how to deal with it but she was just walking towards

with it but she was just walking towards

with it but she was just walking towards me like closer and closer and closer and

me like closer and closer and closer and

me like closer and closer and closer and then all of a sudden you feel very small

then all of a sudden you feel very small

then all of a sudden you feel very small it’s it’s a unique unique experience in

it’s it’s a unique unique experience in

it’s it’s a unique unique experience in that way because all of a sudden I never

that way because all of a sudden I never

that way because all of a sudden I never wear guns when I work or otherwise it I

wear guns when I work or otherwise it I

wear guns when I work or otherwise it I never wear guns so I was I was sitting

never wear guns so I was I was sitting

never wear guns so I was I was sitting there with my lens and actually I was

there with my lens and actually I was

there with my lens and actually I was actually half lying down with my lens

actually half lying down with my lens

actually half lying down with my lens and she came closer and closer and all

and she came closer and closer and all

and she came closer and closer and all of a sudden I realized I need to make

of a sudden I realized I need to make

of a sudden I realized I need to make her aware that I’m that I’m in front of

her aware that I’m that I’m in front of

her aware that I’m that I’m in front of her so I moved the lens ever so slightly

her so I moved the lens ever so slightly

her so I moved the lens ever so slightly just panned the lens she stopped and she

just panned the lens she stopped and she

just panned the lens she stopped and she was like scrutinized you could see that

was like scrutinized you could see that

was like scrutinized you could see that her radar was like scanning me up and

her radar was like scanning me up and

her radar was like scanning me up and down you know it’s like and it’s not is

down you know it’s like and it’s not is

down you know it’s like and it’s not is it amazing sensation that goes through

it amazing sensation that goes through

it amazing sensation that goes through your body because all of a sudden you

your body because all of a sudden you

your body because all of a sudden you are prey it’s fantastic it’s really

are prey it’s fantastic it’s really

are prey it’s fantastic it’s really interesting but what what what happened

interesting but what what what happened

interesting but what what what happened then was that I you know you then you

then was that I you know you then you

then was that I you know you then you start to think what can I do about this

start to think what can I do about this

start to think what can I do about this can I run no even if I’m Usain Bolt I’m

can I run no even if I’m Usain Bolt I’m

can I run no even if I’m Usain Bolt I’m like a snail but

like a snail but

like a snail but the same time Syd started crawling

the same time Syd started crawling

the same time Syd started crawling towards me in a sort of a attack slash

towards me in a sort of a attack slash

towards me in a sort of a attack slash interest mode with you know just the

interest mode with you know just the

interest mode with you know just the shoulder blade sticking up you know like

shoulder blade sticking up you know like

shoulder blade sticking up you know like cats so I just determined to be

cats so I just determined to be

cats so I just determined to be completely still I was like this with my

completely still I was like this with my

completely still I was like this with my camera and she came closer and closer

camera and she came closer and closer

camera and she came closer and closer and when she was about 15 feet away she

and when she was about 15 feet away she

and when she was about 15 feet away she stopped and then she was like puzzled

stopped and then she was like puzzled

stopped and then she was like puzzled who is this guy what is this I’m full he

who is this guy what is this I’m full he

who is this guy what is this I’m full he has probably eaten a lot because he was

has probably eaten a lot because he was

has probably eaten a lot because he was not apparently interesting in me so she

not apparently interesting in me so she

not apparently interesting in me so she just rolled over like this ah I was nice

just rolled over like this ah I was nice

just rolled over like this ah I was nice and then she’s like off with her legs

and then she’s like off with her legs

and then she’s like off with her legs and and I did I didn’t do anything

and and I did I didn’t do anything

and and I did I didn’t do anything because I was completely I felt that

because I was completely I felt that

because I was completely I felt that this this is a balance that’s so

this this is a balance that’s so

this this is a balance that’s so delicate so if I move if I do anything

delicate so if I move if I do anything

delicate so if I move if I do anything she must just go for me and I’m toast

she must just go for me and I’m toast

she must just go for me and I’m toast so I was lying there like this but then

so I was lying there like this but then

so I was lying there like this but then all of a sudden when she rolled over and

all of a sudden when she rolled over and

all of a sudden when she rolled over and started to look at me upside down then

started to look at me upside down then

started to look at me upside down then then I backed up a little bit so I could

then I backed up a little bit so I could

then I backed up a little bit so I could focus because she was too close for the

focus because she was too close for the

focus because she was too close for the focus so I can take this photograph and

focus so I can take this photograph and

focus so I can take this photograph and to me this was a very it was a special

to me this was a very it was a special

to me this was a very it was a special moment

but but in many ways I mean it was

but but in many ways I mean it was honestly I’m I’m sort of a emotional

honestly I’m I’m sort of a emotional

honestly I’m I’m sort of a emotional person I’m a sort of vulnerable person

person I’m a sort of vulnerable person

person I’m a sort of vulnerable person in many ways I don’t for example think

in many ways I don’t for example think

in many ways I don’t for example think that to do what I do you need to be sort

that to do what I do you need to be sort

that to do what I do you need to be sort of a Tarzan jungle jmo because you have

of a Tarzan jungle jmo because you have

of a Tarzan jungle jmo because you have to be the contrary you have to be soft

to be the contrary you have to be soft

to be the contrary you have to be soft hopefully intelligent you have to read

hopefully intelligent you have to read

hopefully intelligent you have to read the environment and you have to be

the environment and you have to be

the environment and you have to be modest otherwise I would have been eaten

modest otherwise I would have been eaten

modest otherwise I would have been eaten I think long time ago but anyway so I

I think long time ago but anyway so I

I think long time ago but anyway so I was there and I felt emotional I felt

was there and I felt emotional I felt

was there and I felt emotional I felt that this this animal gives me this this

that this this animal gives me this this

that this this animal gives me this this experience that’s both damn scary

experience that’s both damn scary

experience that’s both damn scary honestly but at the same time truly

honestly but at the same time truly

honestly but at the same time truly truly beautiful and she’s like calling

truly beautiful and she’s like calling

truly beautiful and she’s like calling for this is obviously some kind of an

for this is obviously some kind of an

for this is obviously some kind of an anthropocentric twist to it that has

anthropocentric twist to it that has

anthropocentric twist to it that has nothing with reality but you know your

nothing with reality but you know your

nothing with reality but you know your mind play games and I felt she’s calling

mind play games and I felt she’s calling

mind play games and I felt she’s calling for my help take a picture and save our

for my help take a picture and save our

for my help take a picture and save our species we’re 300 left and it was like

species we’re 300 left and it was like

species we’re 300 left and it was like aha

aha

aha and then she flipped up she stood and

and then she flipped up she stood and

and then she flipped up she stood and she walked into the to the into the

she walked into the to the into the

she walked into the to the into the forest and I was like him I felt blessed