The Vantage — cheetah resting on a termite mound, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas
The Vantage — cheetah resting on a termite mound, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas

The Vantage

$1,000.00

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

I like to photograph animals in the state of being. I do not chase the dramatic moments. I wait for the quiet ones. This cheetah was resting on top of a termite mound, calm, unconcerned, watching the plain around her without intent. I wanted that calm to be the whole subject of the image.

The composition is almost all sky. She sits at the bottom of the frame on a narrow strip of earth with everything above her left open. Negative space is not emptiness. It is how I tell the viewer what the subject is doing — here, breathing and being still. A tighter crop would have said something different. Pulling back and letting the sky take the frame said calm. That was the decision, and it was the right one.

I was in the vehicle, working quietly, not trying to make her react. Cheetahs are alert animals but she had settled into her vantage and was not going anywhere for a while. That gave me time to think about the frame instead of chasing it. Time to think about a frame is a luxury in wildlife work. I used it here.

This image belongs to The Heart of the Wild. Most of what I shot over those two weeks did not survive the edit. If a photograph did not make me feel something, it was just documentation. This one stayed because of what it does not show. The whole plain is out there, the whole drama of the Mara, and I chose to show none of it. Just her. Just the sky. Just the quiet.

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

I like to photograph animals in the state of being. I do not chase the dramatic moments. I wait for the quiet ones. This cheetah was resting on top of a termite mound, calm, unconcerned, watching the plain around her without intent. I wanted that calm to be the whole subject of the image.

The composition is almost all sky. She sits at the bottom of the frame on a narrow strip of earth with everything above her left open. Negative space is not emptiness. It is how I tell the viewer what the subject is doing — here, breathing and being still. A tighter crop would have said something different. Pulling back and letting the sky take the frame said calm. That was the decision, and it was the right one.

I was in the vehicle, working quietly, not trying to make her react. Cheetahs are alert animals but she had settled into her vantage and was not going anywhere for a while. That gave me time to think about the frame instead of chasing it. Time to think about a frame is a luxury in wildlife work. I used it here.

This image belongs to The Heart of the Wild. Most of what I shot over those two weeks did not survive the edit. If a photograph did not make me feel something, it was just documentation. This one stayed because of what it does not show. The whole plain is out there, the whole drama of the Mara, and I chose to show none of it. Just her. Just the sky. Just the quiet.

‘‘Negative space is not emptiness. It is how I tell the viewer what the subject is doing.’’

The Vantage — black and white cheetah 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