Family bonding

[Stephen Earle]

We had the good fortune to spend the better part of a week with this cheetah mother and her six cubs in Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve. As we got involved with their daily antics, routines and the perils they faced, one couldn't help sitting in camp at night worrying about whether they would make it through another cold and wet night.

Canon EOS 1DMKIV
ISO 1600
1/250
F4
Canon 500 F4 L IS

[Robert Amoruso]

Tells the story well and that is the idea.

I see a bit of a magenta or perhaps red color cast.

[Stephen Earle]

Thanks Robert. I think you are right about the cast. LR eyedropper tool gives a very warm whitebalance which is not how I remember the scene at all.

Here's a version with a slight tweak.

[Marc Mol]

Much better Stephen, this mum has become a real star of late.
Great grooming behavior, well captured here.
We often checked on her and the 6 during our 10 days in the Mara, lets hope the majority make it to that safer 6 mth stage.
TFS

[Rachel Hollander]

Stephen - Repost is better. I'm really enjoying the posts of this unusual family. The cub on the right with its tongue out is just too funny, needed a 7th cub/kit for it to clean. Thanks for sharing this excellent interaction shot.

Rachel

[Ken Watkins]

Stephen,

Another case of two BPN contributors being in the same place around the same time.

You certainly had kinder light than Marc, the necessity to "wash" after the rain has added much to the image, in particular the cub on the right hand side.

What an amazing sighting, beautifully captured.

[Harshad Barve]

What a family this is , I guess I will hold my image sharing for some time for this family :)

Excellent image and repost rocks
TFS

[Stephen Earle]

Thanks guys. Harshad, please post yours. It's not often that we get to see photographs of such an unique group of animals through the eyes of different photographers.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Stephen, well both you and Marc have had excellent luck and experiences and sometimes it just happens that way, but both have merits and personally they are on equal standing. I like the interaction and the scene depicting an action/behaviour. I just hope you & Marc leave something for the rest of us. :D:D

BTW, Interesting your OP has proved the point that I highlighted in Marc's post his blue/green cast cast compared to your magenta.

TFS
Steve

[Austin Thomas]

A great image Stephen. Very well caught and to get all six of the cubs in the frame. Excellent !

I had the pleasure to see this family as well this year, but having seen yours I am now not in a rush to post my images....


In terms of colour balance, somewhere between the two colour images shown for me. Top one is too red, bottom one too green, but I have not calibrated this screen for a while so it could be my end.

Cheers

Austin

[Hilary Hann]

I'm really enjoying the photos of this wonderful family. Look forward to seeing everyones. This is an image full of character and interest. I like the drops of rain coming down as well. It shows that it is worth being out, even in the rain, as the images are completely different in feel.