Cheetah - Slightly touchy

[Hilary Hann]

We sat with the 3 cheetah brothers with their kill for about 90 mins having them to ourselves as all the other vehicles had gone back for lunch. So whilst the light was horrible, it was a pleasure to just sit on the plains sharing the panting, crunching and slurping sounds. However, one of the interesting behavioural aspects of watching them for this length of time was seeing this one cheetah who every now and then would stretch his neck out and set his jaw, looking at one or other of his brothers with a slightly irritable, almost aggressive pose. I found it hard to illustrate the pose well but I think the b&w gave it slightly more of the aggression that he showed, than the colour which really just highlighted the bad light.

I debated allowing for more space but decided to try for more of a pano crop to mirror the neck, but I'm not sure really.

So not sure whether it will be to anyone's tastes, but I was personally pleased with how it evolved so wanted to share it anyway. I won't be too caste down if no one likes it! :S3: It's all subjective after all.

7D; 100-400 @ 170; f10; 1/1250; ISO400

[Harshad Barve]

I liked the crop & conversion
TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Hilary, I can see where you are coming from, not 100% sure however lets see the thoughts. Might lighten it and ease off the sharpening a tad IMHO.

TFS
Steve :w3

[Rachel Hollander]

Hilary - I like the pano for the lines of the outstretched neck and the b&w conversion. Not sure that I get the feeling of aggression you described, more looks like he is sniffing and needs a flower to sniff :S3:. I agree with Steve on the sharpening.

TFS,
Rachel

[gail bisson]

I really like the way you have cropped this and the way the pano mimics the elongated neck. Great idea to do B & W in view of the bad light. I am OK with the sharpening.
Gail

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm still not really sure either but it is helping me with expanding my pp on these files, testing different things.

Steve, mea culpa on the sharpening. I just had to have one last fiddle with sharpening the file when it was ready to post. Like a painter who can't stop adding just a tiny bit more paint to the canvas.

Rachel, I don't think I've been able to show the aggressive stance well enough which has just made a rather strange pose. I've looked through the files and there are a few other image of this same cheetah doing the same thing but I don't know whether they warrant posting.

Thanks Gail and Harshad.

[Nancy Bell]

Hilary, just another thought. How about going with a more graphic look. If possible reduce the bkgd as much as you can to all black (hard to do with all those tiny hairs). And maybe lighten the animal a bit. That would really put the emphasis on the cheetah and his pose.

[Hilary Hann]

Interesting suggestion Nancy, thanks and I'll give it a whirl. :S3: