Watching the hunt

[Chris van Rooyen]

I created this image several years ago very close to the Rooiputs waterhole in the Nossob river valley in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The female cheetah was stalking a herd of springbok on the opposite side of the river, and I was fortunate to spot her in time. I positioned my vehicle about 200m away, as I anticipated her charge would take her past me in full stride. Fortunately it worked out exactly as planned. The gemsbok watched her with interest as she sped past them at full speed, with all four feet off the ground. She eventually caught the springbok a few hundred meters away. About 30% crop. I removed a radio collar around her neck. Processed in LR and PS CC. Noise reduction with Neat Image.

Camera Model: NIKON D3S
Date/Time: 2010:05:31 15:06:34
Shutter speed: 1/2500 sec
Aperture: 7.1
Exposure mode: Manual
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 1400
Lens: 200.0-400.0 mm f/4.0
Focal length: 380mm

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Chris killer frame !!!!
Love it ... no real crits .
Image does tell a story and the techs and PP is top notch .
Brillant work !!!! :5:5

TFS Andreas

[Basil Dardagan]

WOW WOW WOW - This is EXACTLY MY TYPE OF IMAGE AND ABSOLUTELY BLOODY BRILLIANT IN MY OPINION ! To produce an image like this from a SA national park with challenges like road networks that must be stuck to and gate closing times is simply world class

[John Mack]

Great frame. Love the leaping cheetah and the gemsbok in the background give some nice depth and character to this frame. Light looks nice as well.

[Marc Mol]

A superbly timed image Chris,
love everything about it, the wonderful light, the curved backline of a cheetah in full stretch, to the onlooking spectators of Gemsbok. :cheers:

Nice work removing the collar also.



To produce an image like this from a SA national park with challenges like road networks that must be stuck to and gate closing times is simply world class

Totally agree Basil.:w3

[Morkel Erasmus]

One of your very best, love it every time I see it, Chris.
A magnificent showpiece for what the Kgalagadi can deliver...