"Solitary man"

The lion (Panthera leo) is the only truly social big cat in Africa. Adult males, often driven from their coalition as they age, sometimes traverse the savannah as solitaries — neither quite outside, nor quite within.

The lion is seated in the shade of an acacia, from behind, looking at the zebras in the distance. We cannot see his gaze — only the dark mane and the expanse of plain before him. This reversed framing inverts the usual relationship to the predator: no tension, no imminent attack. Just the distance, the savannah, and something that resembles solitude.