Here's a little Teddy Bear for you. A tiny spotted hyena cub, not sure it's the same one from my previous image because there were three brothers the scene and they all looked the same, naughty faces and all.
Impossible to obtain a better POV, had we moved further away we would have not been able to see them. Like I said before, there were other vehicles at the scene so not much room to play around. The den entrance was in front of the subject, I barely managed a few frames before he disappeared inside. Was glad to at least grab a frame with a bit of light on his face.
Cropped quite a lot from both sides, all in all about 40%. Been wondering why I did not shoot vertical...I think I was probably seated on the right side of the vehicle and quite uncomfortable - I remember shooting on a number of occasions without support through the left window and stretching over my gear lying next to me.
Hope to find better images of those little ones. I have not gone through all my folders properly and processing one here and there if it appeals to me. Except for one occasion many years back in the Kalahari, I have not seen such tiny hyena cubs before. So I am sharing those images with you, despite their shortcomings.
Nikon D5
Nikon 500mm F4
ISO 3200
F6.3
1/1000s
Hope you all have a great rest of the week, many thanks for viewing and also for your kind comments on my images, much appreciated!
This doesn't look like any teddy bear i have ever seen. Nice you caught the face in some light. Those ears look quite big on this little fella. Details look very nice.
I think this has a lot going for it Gabriela, I like the light and the shallow DOF, I saw the title and had my regular glasses on, when I looked at the image I thought bloomin strange bear that.. in Africa???/ I then put my PC glasses on and all was revealed!
Hi Gabriela, I know it's hard often to know what kit to use, but I do feel you do need to avoid the hard cropping to this degree and use extenders, both you and the image will benefit. I'm not sure the clarity is there, or it just needs a bit more sharpening???? Good choice in a vertical format, albeit that is is cropped from landscape to portrait loosing some IQ, the 850 may have offered a better detail here. On this occasion perhaps a vignette may be helpful?
Jon, this little fella is a bit like a Tasmanian devil, LOL.
Steve, eish, ummm...I know what you mean But it was a bit hectic there... I had something else in mind at the time, in terms of framing. Wanted a close up of the cub, so badly. Especially when mom picked him up by the scruff of his neck. For a moment there was mama hyena with one cub, then another cub popped up and got in the way, soon other clan members interfered. I still have no idea how many characters were in that den, they kept coming up one by one:)
I did pick up the D850 and took a few frames ( will send you some) but the perspective isn't great so I did not process those. I also shot with the 300F2.8. I have stopped exchanging lenses some time ago because I hate dust bunnies, now have the following set-up permanently: D5/500mm, D4/300mm, D850/200-400, D710/70-200. Problem is, if the light is poor I need high ISO, so I have to stick with the D5 which is somewhat limiting, I agree.
Talking about extenders, I bought a 2x few months ago but images don't look as sharp as I would like them to be. Lots to do and I need to practice and experiment more but so far all I do is workHave not touched my gear since I got back from Kruger, hopefully I get a chance around Xmas, I am off for two days then
Thank you so much once again for your time and for constructive feedback, I so appreciate it Master Steve
Hi Gabriela, sounds a cracking encounter and know fully how you must of felt, however I had my good friend bellowing in my ear with a few action shots, fortunately you didn't have that with me.
Knowing what to use at times can be testing, I had three bodies with various lenses attached, but then you can miss the moment deliberating about what to use. Both the 100-400 & 200-400 were used a lot, but I did swop the 200-400 to a 24-70 at times for a 'wider' aspect. Agree on 'DB's' but it's an inherant issue whatever you do, I found with all the vibration in the jeep the extender actually came loose, nightmare. I would use the 850 for shots you may think about cropping and the D5 for anything else. Extenders do not have any moving parts, they only magnify, so if the basics are not quite sharp the 2x will just amplify things even more. I knew when I took the 5D4 with me it needed tweaking and quickly checked it and made adjustments beforehand, but it's back into Canon this morning for calibration with some of the main lenses, perhaps you should lean on Nikon SA to get some of you main kit checked?
Indeed, choosing the right gear is quite a challenge when things happen fast. I try protect my cameras/lenses from dust so each and one of them is in its own bag, takes time to take them out and change settings. I used to have a box next to me with all the gear lined up so nicely, and covered with a sheet. But dust still got in. Ummm...maybe I must go back to basics, LOL.
Been thinking I should send everything back to Nikon for a good clean and calibration before the March Kalahari trip - do you think I must ship the extender/converter with?
Not sure of the D850 in terms of ISO, I will try push it a bit and see what happens:)
I too had kit in respective dust bags, but fine dust gets everywhere, including the lungs, irrespective of a mask. I think it might be worth putting all gear back in the lap of Nikon, you have the contacts.
I might be wrong, but can't help feel the 850 & 5D4 are similar, good for cropping, but on high ISO less so, in low ISO it nails things with great quality, but would never use it for 4k video, the 1DX MK2 is far better.
Not sure of the D850 in terms of ISO, I will try push it a bit and see what happens:)
You could perhaps jump to Canon and 'see the light'
I am a servant of the "dark side", Master The Nikon guys...they've been good to me. I must learn to use the Force...It is I who must work on my skills
As I read this,I genuinly had the star wars dark side theme playing in the bkg (TV),on my life,very funny Gabriela...how are you ?? ya good mate??
Ahh too long no speak,I've adore both of these cub images,your use of the dappled light is utterly gorgeous Gabriela,I just adore the way it whispers over their faces. I like the colour processing and framing
Wonderful detail as ever Gabriela but it's the way you have worked with the light on your subject that I really love and what has drawn me to both frames.. I appeciate the difficulties of POV,I'd find this very hard being in a buggy I do use them as a mobile hide,but it's waring for me personally
Oh kiddo, fella is so stupidly cute it's unreal!! Do you know if they have blue eyes when born?? I loved the story of the encounter and know full well how special it must have been: one can live with an animal and only see something once in a lifetime what a joy
Great to hear from you, always such a pleasure to read your comments.
Indeed hyena cubs are very cute and it is really hard to describe the feeling of being so close to them. Innocent they might be, but there's a fierce predator within. Which shows from a young age - they are stubborn and demand attention at all times, also very naughty wandering away from the den and getting in trouble ever so often.
Don't know if I can answer your question about the colour of their eyes when born, I have never seen one that small. This fella is a few weeks old but I am told they are almost pitch black when born, save for a number of white teeth (which BTW are as sharp as pins!). All I know is, this is the only mammal born with teeth and the moms have a hard time suckling them. I'll show you some more from this sighting but you must promise me to stick around for a while:)
Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week Buddy, and may the Force be with you
Teddy Bear
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. Nice you caught the face in some light. Those ears look quite big on this little fella. Details look very nice.
But it was a bit hectic there... I had something else in mind at the time, in terms of framing. Wanted a close up of the cub, so badly. Especially when mom picked him up by the scruff of his neck. For a moment there was mama hyena with one cub, then another cub popped up and got in the way, soon other clan members interfered. I still have no idea how many characters were in that den, they kept coming up one by one:)
Have not touched my gear since I got back from Kruger, hopefully I get a chance around Xmas, I am off for two days then
Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski
The Nikon guys...they've been good to me. I must learn to use the Force...It is I who must work on my skills
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