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Thread: Stalking Cheetah...and Fly

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default Stalking Cheetah...and Fly

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    Dear Friends,

    I have a simple frame for you tonight, one I processed over and over again over the past two months as I was not 100% happy with the results. Image taken in the Kalahari last February one afternoon just before 17:00 pm. The light was still harsh, this time of the year it only gets softer and sweeter from about 17:30. My subject was moving quite fast from light to shade, his eyes fixed on a springbok grazing in the distance. I was anticipating a chase so kept changing camera settings to keep up with lighting conditions, but when subject approached the vehicle I decided to make sure I had enough DoF, therefore the F10

    The fly was a bonus... But I must admit I only saw it when downloading my images... Not sure the cheetah saw it either, he was too focused on the springbok

    Nikon D5
    Nikon 500 F4
    ISO 1600
    F10
    1/2500s

    Let me know what you think, I would appreciate any comments and suggestions, be it of a technical nature or otherwise. Thank you so much for viewing

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hi Gabriela, for me it seems your efforts spent have been rewarding as I find it very pleasing and interesting frame. Cheetah certainly had much bigger thing to focus on than a fly, but for us it really make image special. Like bokeh and hot and cold contrast between subject and bokeh. From deep shadow in the eye it does reflect sub being still too high as you mentioned. But image still has very nice details. I will be very happy with this image if it was mine.

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    This is pretty neat! F 10 got that fly sharp and in focus for you.
    I love it when I find things on a downloaded image that I did not know were there when the shutter was depressed!
    Excellent choice of comp/crop.
    IQ and colors look spot on.
    Light is a bit harsh but certainly not a deal breaker.
    I wish the pupil could be seen on the eye but again not a deal breaker.
    Something fun to do would be to move the fly to the left of the frame and that would give the viewer the impression that the cheetah was looking at the fly and not the springbok beyond! Again, that would just be an exercise for fun!
    Gail

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    What's not to like here Gabriela,

    lovely side profile with clean BG, good DOF, colour and techs, with that bonus fly the cherry on top, a great post capture discovery.

    TFS


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    Gabriela this looks great to me,do like the detail and texture of the fur and the eye looks good in this pose,think it's a lovely image with or without the fly.

    Keith.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Classic Cheetah pose here Gabriela, good to have that hint of leg coming into frame and as Marc mention, the fly is the 'cherry'.

    Techs look good and being square on to the sensor has created a nice capture.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela - As the others have said, this works quite well and the fly adds a level of interest. You controlled the harsh light quite well here. Nice detail and colors. It all works.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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  14. #8
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Many thanks for your kind comments and observations, dear friends

    Wishing you all a great week ahead,

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    Late to the party as usual, and its all been said already, great intense stare, and the fly is an interesting addition. Light controlled well, another winner

    Mike

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Many thanks Mike, appreciated, you are never too late
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hi Gabriela -- It appears that there is a one on one face off between the Cheetah and the fly. Loved the details and the stalking pose. Superbly done in all departments, loved this image ! TFS !

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    Lifetime Member Ákos Lumnitzer's Avatar
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    What a beautiful portrait Gabriela.
    The fly is surely a bonus. :)
    TFS

  19. #13
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Many thanks for viewing and comments, dear Haseeb and Akos
    Gabriela Plesea

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