“If you build it, he will come.” The line comes from the classic film Field of Dreams, but the quote is equally applicable to wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas’ latest project. After noting the presence of several elusive nocturnal species near Shompole Wilderness Camp in Kenya, the photographer decided to build a watering hole in order to photograph the skittish animals—and benefit the local community.

After a friend suggested visiting the area, arrived in Kenya’s Southern Rift Valley. During the day, the photographer says that the area “seems like an inhospitable place” covered in a fine layer of dust. However, in just one night drive, Burrard-Lucas saw five different cat species along with three types of hyenas and several smaller creatures. After that drive—which the photographer calls his most productive night drive yet—he decided to set a camera trap at a watering hole in the region. After one week, says Burrard-Lucas, the camera trap photographed a “constant queue of animals waiting for their turn to drink.”

[Read: Day in the Life of Wildlife Photographer Donal Boyd]

But the animals in the area aren’t used to tourists, making them elusive and difficult to photograph. Burrard-Lucas is no stranger to creative solutions to wildlife photography, however. He once built a 4-wheel drive remote control buggy to get up close to lions. The BeetleCam led the photographer to launch Camtraptions Ltd., a company that produces BeetleCams and camera traps.

The solution to the skittish animals in the region? Water. “Water was the obvious way to draw the animals to the camera,” says Burrard-Lucas. “This was proven by a camera trap I set up at a small waterhole. Thereafter we knew that building a waterhole and hide would be the best way to photograph the wildlife.”

Hoping for a way to both photograph the wildlife and benefit the local community, the photographer approached the owners of Shompole Wilderness Camp, Sam and Johann du Toit, and the plans for the Shompole Hide were born. The team chose an area that had lots of wildlife, few water sources, and Mt. Shompole in the background.

The first water was brought to the hole by pickup trucks in December of 2021. Eventually, the team employed 30 people from the local Maasai community to build a 5 km. pipeline that would feed the hole using a solar pump. Two shipping containers were converted into a hide that includes a bathroom and folding beds. The hide was partially buried in the ground to place the viewing windows just above the water.

In July, Burrard-Lucas spent his first nights in the hide. The photographer says that it took a few nights to learn how to move through the blind silently and for the animals to become accustomed to the blind.

Another challenge was lighting the area for the nocturnal visitors. “The main challenge is to light the shots without disturbing the animals,” he tells Rangefinder. “I have several different setups which I can use depending on the subject. First is entirely infrared which I can use to photograph the shiest subjects in complete darkness. I also have red lights and white lights which I can use for more tolerant creatures. Sometimes I am also able to use low-powered flash as well. I alway use high ISO settings and fast lenses so I can keep the lighting as dim as possible.”

The result of the project? Burrard-Lucas photographed many different species coming to the watering hole to drink (see gallery above), with the low position of the blind windows and the still water creating a  mirror-like reflection. Eventually, the photographer was even able to photograph lions coming to drink.

Along with the build providing local jobs, visitors conservation fees are returned to the community. “This project was only possible because the local community saw the benefit and were keen to support it,” Burrard-Lucas says. The Shompole Conservancy is also locally owned.

The new Shompole Hide is open to visitors of the Shompole Wilderness Camp and is now accepting bookings.