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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
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Lifetime Member
Hi Gabriela - Beautiful warm light and the processing looks good. The cub is cute but the mom looking away isn't doing it for me. I wish she was at least more in profile if not looking at the cub or viewer. It looks like there may have been some movement too. Sorry.
TFS,
Rachel
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Like your earlier shot, I'm enjoying this one a lot Gabriela. I like the flopped ear on the cub and, like the earlier one, not bothered by the mother looking the other way. I think there was a bit of a discussion about this last time. We each have our own preferences, I guess. The separation of the cheetahs from the background and their 'pop' is excellent here. As usual, I have trouble making sensible comments on detail in these small shots. I'm guessing your RAW at 100% looks good and any apparent softness, eg on the flank of the cub, is simply an artefact of the small image? Hard to get sick of these lovely animals.
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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
Hello dear Rachel and Glenn,
Thank you so much for your thoughts, as you know I like to have your honest opinions and never take offence when you dislike something
Just a couple of things: I personally like mom looking away (from the aesthetic POV) because the focus is on the cub - this allows the viewer to pay attention to the expression on his face. Watching each other's back (in other words, looking in opposite direction) is part of the species' defence against larger, more powerful predators and a behavioural aspect I like to emphasise with my images. Having spent some time observing cheetah - in their natural environment as well as enclosures - I have noticed adults teach their young to pay attention to the environment from a very young age. This is especially encouraged when a threat is perceived in order to avoid confrontation. In this case, the waterhole. Drinking spots are dangerous, the enemy can pitch up from any direction and just about every species needs to quench its thirst in the afternoon, especially after a hot day. Should cubs get distracted (which is often the case) mom interrupts them with soft, almost inaudible purrs. BTW, cheetah moms seem to never lose patience with their little ones
Regarding softness - I see what you mean, Rachel. But just remember that cheetah cubs have soft fur that resembles fluff. I will certainly revisit the RAW and have a look at the sharpness, thank you. At 1/2000s I do not think it can be due to movement?
Warmest regards,
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Macro and Flora Moderator
I appreciate the lovely light and the cute cub but the adult turning away does not help - sorry Gabriela.
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Lifetime Member
Gabriela - In addition to the cub look at mom's rear legs for movement.
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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
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Really beautiful light, and a great interaction. But for me there is no compelling eye, ear or tail orientation for the mother to be so dominant in the image, so doesn't work as a standalone. Maybe as part of an image sequence?
Greg
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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
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BPN Member
Hi Gabriela .... i bet that movement will be frozen at that SS u used ....if there was any .
Lovely light and color in this frame ...well i am 50/50 about mummy being turned away from the viewer , but the cub is so sweet i can easily overlook the fact .
Have a great weekend , TFS Andreas
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Gabriela, the repost is an improvement to my eye and looks crisper without looking crunchy.
Originally Posted by
Gabriela Plesea
Interesting to hear everyone's opinion. I cannot help but think otherwise when it comes to cheetah mom, but this is my personal feeling - which could perhaps stem from my "connection" with the subject, so probably based on emotion. In all truth I am a bit disappointed that not everyone sees this in the same light I do, but at the same time I am getting an idea of what the audience likes. After all, I am not doing this just for myself
As for your last shot from this sequence, the same issue arose about the mother looking away. As mentioned, it works for me but everyone will see this differently. I always wonder though how much of our viewpoint is the result of conditioning and how much is innate visual sense and impact, if there is such a thing? Maybe it is all down to experience and exposure to other images and opinions. You are right that we share images so need to understand what a wider audience will like and having peers like an image is always a nice thing. But I think it's good to see differently and challenge views sometimes too. So I value your post on several levels including the challenge you have presented. And I still think it is a fine image and thank you for sharing it.
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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
Thank you so much dear Glenn, here are my thoughts this morning:
Even though we are so concerned with colour and light when it comes to art, according to common sense we usually judge a well proportioned (or harmonious) thing beautiful. What really appeals to me at this scene is a kind of harmony brought about by the equilibrium between the two opposites (cheetah mom and cub) as well as the geometry of the landscape. I actually like the positioning of the subjects (almost overlapping, yet not quite). The two cheetah should be seen as opposites in contrast to each other: one young one old, one alert one relaxed, one expressionless and the other full of expression, bodies one straight and still the other curved and filled with tension (calm versus movement). Only one element here represents "perfection" (for lack of a better word): the line, the earth beneath their feet - it is somewhat pleasing to the eye and does not end abruptly in the left corner.
Of course I wanted you to like this, otherwise I would not have shared it:) Since just about everyone struggled with it I felt I had to explain my POV. "Beauty" does not always spring from a perfectly balanced proportion, it may at times be brought about by a sort of "tension", a restless search on our part for something lying beyond the "rules" - would you agree?
Wishing you a lovely week-end,
Warmest regards,
Last edited by Gabriela Plesea; 10-21-2017 at 07:02 AM.
Gabriela Plesea
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Aside from showing two gorgeous animals in great light and setting, I think this works for me because there is an element of intrigue and a story untold here. What is the mother looking and what is going through her head? The cub looks apprehensive perhaps? There is some mystery that draws me in. Of course, the visual elements have to work together as well, as you've outlined but to engage, it also needs something like this intrigue to make me look twice and think. Just my take though.
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Lifetime Member
Beautiful light, and once the behavioural aspect is understood, then the shot takes on its real meaning. Without the words, I thought that mums head angle really let the shot down, but with the extra added information it all comes together as intended.
Mike
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Hi Gabriela -- Lovely light and the cub is super cute , loved those eyes as well. A bit unfortunate to have the mom looking away, i am a bit 50-50 on this frame. The lovely light and the cute cub somehow makes this for me .
TFS !
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Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator
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