Cheetah cubs

[Austin Thomas]

Hi all,


There was a request in my recent posts for images of the Cheetah cubs. I was also contacted recently by a fellow photographer / web site publisher for images showing the mantle of the cheetah cubs. This image is the best one I have that fits these requirements.

I would have liked more eye contact with the lead cub and some light into their eyes, in an ideal world.

C&C welcome.

Canon 1DMK3, 500mm f6.3, 1/2500, -0.3 ISO200

Cheers

Austin

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Austin, believe it or not, from all my visits to our Kruger National Park, and the Sabi Private game reserve, I havent seen a cheetah yet. So looking at this, Im very jealous, and cubs too. Good low angle, presumably from a game vehicle, and I like the show of movement. Colours look good too.

[Harshad Barve]

Austin , this is excellent image on all counts , how I wish this was in my files
TFS

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Good to see small cubs walking in tandem. I agree that light was not on your side. With light on the eyes, the image would have been further strengthened. A pano crop will also work here. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Austin,
Your self assesment on the HA and light is a good one....but this is still an excellent image of the 2 cubs. Really does show the matle nicely! I only had a few adults....always a treat to see these guys.

[Ed Cordes]

Agree on HA, but still a great image. I like the determined way they are moving ahead as if they are about to take down a gazelle.

[Nate Chappell]

I agree with you on a little more light in the eyes but technically excellent and it meets your friends request well.

[Kiran Khanzode]

For me, eyes of an animal are the pathway to his soul. The ghost-eyes here do not keep me involved. :( . I agree with your self critique about the eyes. And yes, those amber eyes are very tough to expose. You really need the right (directional) lighting to make it happen.

[Marc Mol]

Given the HA & lighting, still a nice portrayal of these determined two, a treat just to capture.
TFS


And yes, those amber eyes are very tough to expose. You really need the right (directional) lighting to make it happen.

Very similar to Gnu ;)

[Kiran Khanzode]

Given the HA & lighting, still a nice portrayal of these determined two, a treat just to capture.
TFS


M Molloy, ghost images of cubs are never flattering (light is not that bad here), their innocence has been robbed;-)

I am surprised to see many images of animals in flat/bad lighting , it's very sad to see that one of the most critical aspects of photography is ignored , "Good light" !




Very similar to Gnu ;)Color, yes, maybe similar. A Gnu's eyes are placed favoring to the sides but can see in front as well(typical of prey species). Shoot them from the sides in the right light, piece of cake, don't try the front angle ( I would love to get such a shot with shining eyeballs of a Wildebeest). Whereas, a Cheetah's are more inset unlike a Tiger's- very easy to expose), placed on the front (typical for a predator). Shoot them from the front in great light and you can get lucky, don't expect to get the same result if you approach them from the sides.
Different skull shapes, different challenges...

[Todd Frost]

Your self critique covers nits (sorry Artie I am not politically correct:D). I know what Kiran is saying but sometimes we have to deal with what we are given, then work on trying to find a better image. Would love to have this in my files also. TFS
Todd

[Kiran Khanzode]

sometimes we have to deal with what we are given, then work on trying to find a better image.
Todd

Bingo !

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Austin What strikes me first is the intense look in the cubs !!! Agree on more of a pano ... sure would like having this one also !!! Big Congrats !!!

[Austin Thomas]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Much appreciated.

I am collecting images that will go into PANO as headers for a new website under construction. I will add this image as a PANO to the mix.

Cheers

Austin

[Marc Mol]

Given the HA & lighting, still a nice portrayal of these determined two, a treat just to capture.
TFS
K Khanzode
Read my reply carefully, it says given the HA & lighting meaning taking that already into consideration (that it was not good)!


M Molloy, ghost images of cubs are never flattering (light is not that bad here), their innocence has been robbed;-)

I am surprised to see many images of animals in flat/bad lighting , it's very sad to see that one of the most critical aspects of photography is ignored , "Good light" !.
I agree 100% with this.



Color, yes, maybe similar. A Gnu's eyes are placed favoring to the sides but can see in front as well(typical of prey species). Shoot them from the sides in the right light, piece of cake, don't try the front angle ( I would love to get such a shot with shining eyeballs of a Wildebeest).

So when you come out with a conflicting bold statement like this from a previous Roman posting here:

Nice one ! I disagree about the lighting, it is harsh for my eyes. Must be Lake Masek. Getting a Wilde's eye in the clear is actually not that big of a problem, especially when running.

One begins to wonder.:confused:
I have shot thousands of images of Gnu/Wildebeest and I can assure you that getting clear shots of the eye side on or front on is not an easy task, due to their black muzzle running ear to nose. As you say .....It's all about the light and correct angle.;)
So both Ken and I look forward to many images from yourself of Gnu with eyes wide open. :D

[Kiran Khanzode]

K Khanzode
Read my reply carefully, it says given the HA & lighting meaning taking that already into consideration (that it was not good)!


I agree 100% with this.



So when you come out with a conflicting bold statement like this from a previous Roman posting here:


One begins to wonder.:confused:
I have shot thousands of images of Gnu/Wildebeest and I can assure you that getting clear shots of the eye side on or front on is not an easy task, due to their black muzzle running ear to nose. As you say .....It's all about the light and correct angle.;)
So both Ken and I look forward to many images from yourself of Gnu with eyes wide open. :D

MM,

It seems you've become the defender for images posted by others (?) . It's funny the OP's didn't have an issue with my critique/observations from the field, but you do :-). And I haven't even yet commented in your "mid-day" lion photo yet :-).

You really need to read carefully about my statement in Roman's thread. I said "eye" not eyes ! ;-) Big difference !!!!! Eyes mean "from the front", eye means "from the side".

Ken who? Are you two ganging up on me ? You need an image of a Gnu from me ? Sure, will a running wildebeest in stunning golden light fully parallel to my camera's focal plane with in-camera pan blur taken at super low shutter speed, handheld (with a sharp eye) do ?
I usually don't take requests...

My observations is that when a Wilde is running, the eyelashes that cover the eye are actually blown back and that opens a Wilde's eye. Yes, that's an observation in the field. Yes, you need the right light to capture such a moment as well.

Funny, it took me only 10 attempts to get a Wilde's eye, you took thousands and still didn't get it ...

Bottomline: I see mediocre or below average images posted and getting praised here, which is wrong !!

PS: If you become a paying member of BPN, I will send you a printed copy of a gnu in golden light (eye open), with my signature. Deal ?

[Marc Mol]

MM,

Funny, it took me only 10 attempts to get a Wilde's eye, you took thousands and still didn't get it ...

Bottomline: I see mediocre or below average images posted and getting praised here, which is wrong !!



If and when I respond to a posting, I certainly do not praise something that is not achieved.
One may still post images that are not in ideal light and can be praised for their composition & subject alone.
I also never said that I did not have a Wilde's eye in plenty of my images, it still takes a reasonable amount of skill
and good fortune to get that eye/s in good clear light. Obviously myself and hundreds of other wildlife photographers are clearly not doing something right.
If you took you only 10 good luck to you!

Enough said................can we now move on??

[Ken Watkins]

Kiran,

I find a lot of your recent posts very insulting, and you have made no exception here!

As to Ken who?, I am the unknown photographer who won Wildlife Image of the Year on this site last year, strangely it was image of Cheetahs.

[Harshad Barve]

I guess time to move on , Kiran , Marc and Ken I request you to keep peace my friends, We are here to enjoy beauty of wildlife and of course images:). Thanks for peace in advance

[Alfred Forns]

This has gone beyond the comments we would like having and will be locking the thread down.

So far I have been proud of the post and comments here in wildlife pointing out how well we all get along supporting each other.... not the case here. No need for further comments in public but will send PMs to clear the air.