First Steps — lioness teaching young cubs to walk, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas
First Steps — lioness teaching young cubs to walk, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas

First Steps

$1,000.00

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

The mother was teaching her cubs to walk. They were so young she had not introduced them to the pride yet. At this age she keeps them hidden and moves them from place to place, never the same spot for long. Jamlick saw the scene from a distance and got us to her position fast. The whole encounter lasted maybe ten or fifteen minutes. She moved the cubs back and forth between hiding places while I worked the frame. Without Jamlick spotting what he saw from where he was, I never get this image. Cubs at this age are a moment, not a sighting.

This image is from The Heart of the Wild, two weeks in the Maasai Mara out of a tent camp deep in the park. Up before sunrise every morning, out in the jeep with hot coffee, back when the light got hard, then out again until sunset. Two weeks of that rhythm. Tinka and Jamlick worked with me the whole time. Two Masai guides who read animal behavior in a way I never will. They knew which lioness this was, where she had been seen the day before, how far she might have moved overnight. That kind of knowledge cannot be bought on a tour. It is built over years on the same ground.

Maybe one percent of what I shot over those two weeks survived the edit. If an image did not make me feel something, it was just documentation. This frame stayed because of what she was doing. A mother teaching her cubs how to walk.

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

The mother was teaching her cubs to walk. They were so young she had not introduced them to the pride yet. At this age she keeps them hidden and moves them from place to place, never the same spot for long. Jamlick saw the scene from a distance and got us to her position fast. The whole encounter lasted maybe ten or fifteen minutes. She moved the cubs back and forth between hiding places while I worked the frame. Without Jamlick spotting what he saw from where he was, I never get this image. Cubs at this age are a moment, not a sighting.

This image is from The Heart of the Wild, two weeks in the Maasai Mara out of a tent camp deep in the park. Up before sunrise every morning, out in the jeep with hot coffee, back when the light got hard, then out again until sunset. Two weeks of that rhythm. Tinka and Jamlick worked with me the whole time. Two Masai guides who read animal behavior in a way I never will. They knew which lioness this was, where she had been seen the day before, how far she might have moved overnight. That kind of knowledge cannot be bought on a tour. It is built over years on the same ground.

Maybe one percent of what I shot over those two weeks survived the edit. If an image did not make me feel something, it was just documentation. This frame stayed because of what she was doing. A mother teaching her cubs how to walk.

‘‘Cubs at this age are a moment, not a sighting.’’

First Steps — black and white lion cub fine art print, framed, by Vasilis Moustakas

The Edition

Edition of 7 + 2 Artist Proofs

The seven prints are shared across all three sizes, so whichever scale you choose, it is one of seven. When the last print is placed, the image is retired and never printed again.

Pricing follows the edition. Each print placed moves the next one up, so the earliest collectors acquire the work at its lowest price.

Sizes

Small: 16 × 24 in (41 × 61 cm)
Medium: 24 × 36 in (61 × 91 cm)
Large: 40 × 60 in (102 × 152 cm)

Prices begin at $1,000 for the Small print.

The Print

Each print is made as an archival pigment print on Hahnemühle fine art paper, chosen for its depth, tonal range and a surface that rewards close looking. Every print is signed and numbered by hand and arrives with a Certificate of Authenticity recording the title, edition number and production details.

Framing

Bespoke framing is available on request. Tell me about the wall and the room, and I'll put together a frame, mount and finish that suit both the work and where it will live.

Acquiring the Work

For pricing and availability, write to me directly. Every enquiry is answered personally.

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Framing and Display Options