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Brothers

2 male cheetahs from a coalition of 4 males, in Madikwe Game Reserve.
Madikwe is known for having just a few cheetahs so we were thrilled to find these guys right at the end of the day.
I don't normally like to have animals walking away from me but the light was lvely and soft and the head turn of the RH cheetah, whicha llowed me to catch his eye, saved this photo for me.
The one on the LH side has a radio collar on and I was keen to not show that.
They were on the move and I had a fixed lens on the camera so I could not get any more space on theleft side as I woudl have wished.
Nikon D300s
Nikon 300mm f4 lens
1/400s
f6.3
ISO1000
hand held from vehicle
RAW conversion in Nikon Capture, slight cropping on LH side and top, gaussian blur on top of frame, reduced exposure by -0.1
Sharpened and saved for web in Photoshop Elements
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Hi Martin I too enjoy the light here. Well captured. I quite like the comp you have but feel it definitely needs more room on the bottom. As you said it would have been good to have more on the LHS
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Lifetime Member

Originally Posted by
Martin Dunn
I don't normally like to have animals walking away from me but the light was lvely and soft and the head turn of the RH cheetah, whicha llowed me to catch his eye, saved this photo for me..
Nor I Martin, but the lighting is superb and more than makes up for the walk away. Shame about the cramped lower room, I don't suppose you have more?
Also wonder why you went for Gaussian blur and not conventional NR?

Originally Posted by
Martin Dunn
The one on the LH side has a radio collar on and I was keen to not show that.
I'd heard that Mashatu was excellent for cats, but collars are a bit of a no no for us photographers, a facet of conservation that we must endure, like it or not.
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Wildlife Moderator
Hi Martin, as you know I like the light on this, but as others have mentioned, walking away and nothing below is a crying shame, but it has helped masking the collar. If you use back button focus you could have locked on and re comped the shot? Like Artie and others, I too use this method but use the dial to place the FP directly where I want it, (being in control) and this is why the more you use your camera, the more intuitive it becomes, you do things without thinking. You must have been right on top of them if this is FF. I still feel a hint of NR would help the top quarter of the image, are you using Gaussian blur in place of NR? I guess it's OOF grass that is masking slightly the clarity on the left rear leg of the LH Cheetah.
PP looks better and improving, but I still feel investing at some point with PS is the way to go coupled with Nx.
TFS
Steve
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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Lifetime Member
Hi Martin - I'm going to echo what was said above. Gorgeous light and the turn helps save the image. I too wish for more room below and to the left and also noticed the haze over the rear leg of the one on the left.
TFS,
Rachel
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BPN Member
Nothing beats great light on a cheetah. The pose of the RHS one saves it for me too, though I agree with your self-critique and what others have said above.
I do like how your processing/presentation is improving, Martin!
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Post a Thank You. - 1 Thanks
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Lifetime Member
Hi Martin, I dont have many cheetah sightings in my files, so I'd take this any day. Love the late warm light, eye contact from the RH Cheetah, and unfortunately, a fix lens can sometimes be bothersome.