Courageous Cub

[Loi Nguyen]

This is the story of a courageous Cheetah cub in a large family of four cubs at Mashatu Game Preserve, Botswana. The cubs are about 15 months old, but still depend on Mom for food. On this day, Mom attempted to catch a baby Kudu, but failed and came back empty handed. The family was resting under the shade of a tree when a large troop of Baboons came upon them. One of the cubs had fled, but the remaining 3 cubs and Mom hunkered down hoping the Baboons will let them rest in peace. But that was not to be. You can see in the sequence that the Baboons showed aggression first. Mom was going to hunker down, but one of the cubs decided to take the matter in its hands and charged out to the intruders. He drew a couple of baboons from the family and courageously turned around facing them.

Around 10AM int he morning, sun was high int he sky.
#1 - #3: 5D3, 100-400 II @ 255 - 300mm, 1/1600, f8, ISO-1600
#4-#5: 5D3, 500f4, 1/1600, f8, ISO-1600

Pretty much straight from LR, reduced exposure, added contrast, sharpening.

Gabriela, this sequence is for you!

Loi

[Marina Scarr]

Wow, that is one heck of a sequence!!! Very impressive. The second to last frame, I believe is my favorite but the entire series tells such an amazing story. The fear in the cub is palpable. The wildflowers in the FG are a big plus.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Warmest welcome to Story Sequences, Loi !!!

What a privilege for you to witness and capture those scenes - I am so grateful you decided to share them with us!

The little cub is awesome, what a courageous attempt on his part - I love those ears folded back, the confrontation, expression from baboons, but especially from the little cub whose bravery is amazing.

Frames are so well chosen, nice PP work, and I love the continuity - congratulations my friend, you told the story so well! The way in which the camera focuses on the subjects makes it all more dramatic (at first on the cheetah family in the FG and then on the cub in the BG) and draws an imaginary line between what I see as "two episodes", the first one showing the cheetah family defending from baboons (frames 1,2 and 3) and the second one ( frames 4 and 5) with great emphasis on the cub. Love the protagonist of the story and what a special character, he wins my heart:S3:

I like so many things in your Sequence Loi, to mention but a few: the space you have given your characters, the inclusion of environment, your choice of equipment/lenses, DOF, you keeping an eye on the ISO :w3... only after viewing this carefully and looking at your exif data (thank you for sharing this, by the way) I realise what adrenalin was pumping through your veins at this sighting and how well you handled everything!

I thank you from the heart for this Story Sequence - wonderful narrative and it needs no words to be understood (although I admit I read everything above with much thirst).

Since this one is for me it makes it even more special on a personal level, I truly appreciate your support and friendship, and once again thank you for always finding time to view and give feedback on my images - it means a lot to me:5

Warmest regards,

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Loi
Love it!
Let us call him Brave-heart!:cheers:

BTW-well processed!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

This is just super. I like that the POV is switched in the third and fourth frame. I was going to post something, but after seeing this...........I don't think so.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Please Jackie, do post! I am thrilled with the variety of the Sequences posted and so looking forward to more:bg3: Very grateful for your participation in this forum, thank you so much for your kind comments and for taking the time to view:5

Loi, the last image in this sequence just needs to go to the Wildlife Forum, it is even more exciting than the one you already shared...

Warmest regards and wishes of a great week ahead,

[Marc Mol]

A wonderful image sequence here Loi, with life & struggle in the bush well told,:5 with the last 2 my fav's.

TFS

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Love this sequence Loi. Really fantastic story you had captured. I like both of the last frames especially.
Great work mate!

[Loi Nguyen]

Thank you everyone for your comments. Will get the last two frames on Wildlife one of these days. Loi

[Gabriela Plesea]

I think you have to share those images in Wildlife, Loi - I like the PP work too, content is just awesome:cheers:

Kind regards,