The Watcher — cheetah scanning the plain from a termite mound, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas
The Watcher — cheetah scanning the plain from a termite mound, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas

The Watcher

$1,000.00

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

Cheetahs are beautiful animals but they are also vulnerable. They are not the top of the food chain. They have to stay alert — for lions, for hyenas, for anything that moves on the plain that could be a threat. This cheetah was scanning the area from the top of a termite mound, her body upright and still, watching for whatever she needed to watch for.

The sky did the rest. Heavy clouds had moved in and the light had turned moody — not beautiful light in the usual sense, but the right light for this scene. The drama in the sky matched the tension in her body. I wanted the horizontal frame so the sky could spread out on both sides of her and the plain could sit beneath the mound. She is small in the frame. She is also the center of it. Nothing in the image can pull your eye away from her.

This is the same cheetah, same mound, same day as another image in this collection. But this is not the same photograph. In the other frame she was lying down, calm, unconcerned — I wanted to show the quiet. Here she is sitting up, reading the plain, doing what her species has to do to stay alive. Same animal, same hour, two different truths. Both are real.

The dramatic landscape shot is not what I usually go for. I am more often pulling in tight, working the face and the eyes. But sometimes an image asks to be framed against the whole world, and the whole world is what gives it weight. This was one of those.

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

Cheetahs are beautiful animals but they are also vulnerable. They are not the top of the food chain. They have to stay alert — for lions, for hyenas, for anything that moves on the plain that could be a threat. This cheetah was scanning the area from the top of a termite mound, her body upright and still, watching for whatever she needed to watch for.

The sky did the rest. Heavy clouds had moved in and the light had turned moody — not beautiful light in the usual sense, but the right light for this scene. The drama in the sky matched the tension in her body. I wanted the horizontal frame so the sky could spread out on both sides of her and the plain could sit beneath the mound. She is small in the frame. She is also the center of it. Nothing in the image can pull your eye away from her.

This is the same cheetah, same mound, same day as another image in this collection. But this is not the same photograph. In the other frame she was lying down, calm, unconcerned — I wanted to show the quiet. Here she is sitting up, reading the plain, doing what her species has to do to stay alive. Same animal, same hour, two different truths. Both are real.

The dramatic landscape shot is not what I usually go for. I am more often pulling in tight, working the face and the eyes. But sometimes an image asks to be framed against the whole world, and the whole world is what gives it weight. This was one of those.

‘‘Same animal, same hour, two different truths. Both are real.’’

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