What the Marsh Holds — two elephants roaming a marsh, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas
What the Marsh Holds — two elephants roaming a marsh, black and white fine art photograph from Maasai Mara, Kenya by Vasilis Moustakas

What the Marsh Holds

$1,000.00

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

I like photographs with a sense of place. Sometimes you understand more about the animal when you see the world around it. That was the idea here — to make a layered photograph of these two elephants roaming a marsh, with everything that the marsh holds visible around them. The water, the reflection, the grass, the tree line, the sky.

This kind of image is harder than a tight portrait. A face crop is a cleaner problem — find the expression, control the background, make the frame. A scene like this is full of visual clutter, and every element in the frame either adds to the meaning or pulls it apart. My approach was to predict the movement of the two animals, see where they were going to be in relation to the water and the light, and wait until everything aligned. Most of the time it does not align. The elements pull in different directions and you are left with a frame that has too much in it and says nothing.

This one aligned. The foreground elephant walked into the right of the frame. The second elephant stepped into his reflection in the marsh. The light held. For a few seconds everything was in the right place and I had the composition I had been waiting for.

This is from The Heart of the Wild. An environmental portrait of two of the most magnificent creatures on this planet, moving through the kind of place they have always moved through. The marsh holds the water they drink and the reflection of their bodies and the memory of everything that has ever passed through it. I wanted an image that held all of that at once.

Maasai Mara, Kenya 2023

I like photographs with a sense of place. Sometimes you understand more about the animal when you see the world around it. That was the idea here — to make a layered photograph of these two elephants roaming a marsh, with everything that the marsh holds visible around them. The water, the reflection, the grass, the tree line, the sky.

This kind of image is harder than a tight portrait. A face crop is a cleaner problem — find the expression, control the background, make the frame. A scene like this is full of visual clutter, and every element in the frame either adds to the meaning or pulls it apart. My approach was to predict the movement of the two animals, see where they were going to be in relation to the water and the light, and wait until everything aligned. Most of the time it does not align. The elements pull in different directions and you are left with a frame that has too much in it and says nothing.

This one aligned. The foreground elephant walked into the right of the frame. The second elephant stepped into his reflection in the marsh. The light held. For a few seconds everything was in the right place and I had the composition I had been waiting for.

This is from The Heart of the Wild. An environmental portrait of two of the most magnificent creatures on this planet, moving through the kind of place they have always moved through. The marsh holds the water they drink and the reflection of their bodies and the memory of everything that has ever passed through it. I wanted an image that held all of that at once.

‘‘ A face crop is a cleaner problem. A scene like this is full of visual clutter, and every element in the frame either adds to the meaning or pulls it apart.’’

What the Marsh Holds — black and white elephant 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 × 15 in (61 × 38 cm)
Medium: 36 × 22.5 in (91 × 57 cm)
Large: 60 × 37.5 in (152 × 95 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.

ENQUIRE ABOUT THIS PRINT
Framing and Display Options