Sadala I

Sadala I, Mara North Conservancy, Kenya

Sadala (meaning 'playful' in Maa) again — but a different side of him entirely.

The earlier portrait caught him still and backlit in the rain, silver mantle glowing, the image of composed young wildlife. This one catches him in a considerably less composed moment, and is better for it.

He had been using a dead tree trunk as a climbing frame for the better part of twenty minutes — up, down, sideways, back up again — with the focused, repetitive energy of a young animal that has discovered something enjoyable and sees no reason to stop. This frame came near the end of that sequence, when he pushed up onto his hind legs, placed both front paws against the vertical trunk, and turned his head outward with an expression that, in any other species, you would call a grin. It is not a grin. But it is also not not a grin.

The dead trunk runs vertically through the frame, giving the composition a clean structural spine that his posture mirrors almost exactly — hind legs down, body extended, head up and turned. The upright format suits the image completely. He occupies it with the unselfconscious ease of an animal that has no concept of being watched, which is the best kind of wildlife portrait there is.

Black and white was the right choice here for the same reason it works for all the best physical comedy — it removes the period detail and leaves only the gesture. The expression, the posture, the energy of a young cheetah utterly absorbed in being exactly what he is. In colour, the scene. In monochrome, the character.

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 black 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.