A little damp

A little damp, Mara North Conservancy, Kenya

Sadala (meaning 'playful' in Maa) was the sole cub born to a well-known cheetah Kulete in the Mara North Conservancy. At this age — still young enough to carry the silver-grey mantle of fur along the spine that cheetah cubs retain in their early months — he was spending much of his time close to his mother, learning the landscape one hillock at a time.

This was taken on an afternoon when the weather couldn’t make up its mind. The rain was light — barely rain at all, more of a considered drizzle — and the backlight from a break in the cloud was catching the individual droplets and the fine fur along Sadala’s outline in a way that lasted only a few minutes before the cloud closed again.

The combination of elements in this frame is one that is very difficult to manufacture and almost impossible to anticipate — a named individual animal, a specific age and stage of life that passes quickly and cannot be revisited, backlight of unusual quality, and the texture of light rain in the air between the lens and the subject. Each of those things alone makes a photograph. Together they make something considerably rarer.

The silver mantle visible on his back is worth noting specifically. It is a feature unique to young cubs, thought to mimic the colouring of the honey badger as a form of predator deterrence. Within months it would be gone. 

About These Prints

Every print is produced by Whitewall, voted the world’s best photo lab by TIPA for multiple years. The quality speaks for itself.

Fine Art Print — Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper, printed with a 1cm border. A museum-quality archival paper that renders tone and shadow with exceptional depth.

Framed Print — As above, with a 3cm passe-partout mount and a 2cm natural oak frame. Ready to hang.

Artbox — The image mounted behind glass in a slim aluminium frame. Clean, contemporary, and particularly striking at larger sizes.

Do visit my Prints and Framing page for more information on these products.

A note on sizing

All sizes refer to the image area only — the border, mount, and frame add to the overall dimensions. If you’re buying for a specific wall space or an existing frame, please factor this in. Not sure? Drop me a message and I’ll help you work it out.

Something else in mind?

Different size, different frame, different format entirely — I’m happy to help. Get in touch via the Contact page and I’ll do my best to sort it.

All prints are supplied without watermark or copyright overlay.