What comes natural.

[Marc Mol]

5.54pm
Marking and scenting one of their favourite trees, may not be everyone's cup of tea, however it plays a large part in a Cheetah's natural behavior and survival.
I had a look at cropping out the green layered BG, but felt the resultant pano was a little too cramped for the tail.

D3s 500VR 1/160s ISO800@f/6.3 F/F. Mara Oct 2010

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Harshad Barve]

Actually that green band adds here for me at-least :w3
Excellent behavior image here
TFS

[Ken Watkins]

Marc,

I have ceased taking images like this and actally never really liked them, it is just a personal taste thing:w3

[Hilary Hann]

Marc, I would agree on leaving the green band in as the tail does look like it would be a bit close to the top. I think your dof field works to your advantage here and the grasses have enough texture and colour variation to look interesting. There would appear to always be a place for images of animal behaviour and this captures the interest the cheetah have in the tree and I like the left cheetah looking around.

Just as a matter of interest Ken, why do you not like these kinds of images? I know everyone has different likes and dislikes, this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge. :S3:

[Marc Mol]

Marc,

I have ceased taking images like this and actally never really liked them, it is just a personal taste thing:w3


may not be everyone's cup of tea,

Yep, no problem Ken, I know you are a coffee drinker!:bg3:

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Hilary


this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge. :S3:

I can remember Harshad posting something similar some months ago which sparked some controversy re, distracting, but natural BG elements.:e3
Nothing removed here BTW.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Marc, nicely done here, the lack of distractions is good, and the both sides of the behaviour are captured, investigating scents and laying them down. I like the green BG...You did well to get it sharp at that shutter speed.
TFS
Grant

[Rachel Hollander]

Marc - it's a nice environment shot and the behavior is natural. While it is not something I would hang on the wall, it is something I would take while in the field. I think the green foliage adds to the image and agree with your assessment of space issues without it.

TFS,
Rachel

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely low angle and nice DOF...Lovely image Marc

[Morkel Erasmus]

lovely techs here Marc, and good poses by both...I don't mind any images of natural animal behaviour...they are "naked" all the time anyway haha :w3

looks a tad underexposed to me? maybe brighten it just a smidge?

[Steve Canuel]

Marc - it's a nice environment shot and the behavior is natural. While it is not something I would hang on the wall, it is something I would take while in the field. I think the green foliage adds to the image and agree with your assessment of space issues without it.

+1 Here. Its a nice simple composition with no distracting elements. The green band adds some contrast in color, and I now know more about male cheetah anatomy than I could have ever hoped for :bg3:

[Ken Watkins]

Just as a matter of interest Ken, why do you not like these kinds of images? I know everyone has different likes and dislikes, this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge. :S3:

Hilary,

Missed your request until now, "function" images may well be part of natures wonderful bounty but they are not to my taste. Perhaps I am a little old fashioned:2:2

Marc,

Actually I am mainly a tea drinker, but then I was brought up in UK.:bg3::bg3: