Cheetah week. Can I play ?

[Austin Thomas]

You can't have a Cheetah week and not invite me to play!! Thanks for the tip off Steve.....

Here is a quick edit done this lunchtime. I will probably redo then when I have more time and some feedback from this group.

The Gazelle had just circled the termite mound, closely followed by the Cheetah. I was in two minds whether to go a little wider and leave more of the mound for the story telling, but decided to crop tighter to intensify the action.

Canon 1DMK3, 500mm. f5.6, 1/5000, ISO400.

Another image from this sequence won an International Photographic Award.
That image can be seen HERE for those interested.

C&C welcome.

Austin

[Ken Watkins]

Austin,

Yes you certainly can play

Without the termite mound I think it may have been nearly as brilliant as your "trip" shot mentioned above.

I will repeat myself yet again this is the best Cheetah hunting image I have ever seen

I seem to remember you also won with this in another major contest. the name of which unfortunately escapes me, perhaps you could remind me/us?

I am still waithing for an opportunity like this, it is what makes it so exciting.

[Harshad Barve]

You just killed me
TFS

[Todd Frost]

Another outstanding image Austin. I remember the linked image well and agree with Ken on his "best Cheetah hunting image I have ever seen" description. This shot is captured and exposed very good as well, with good sharpness. Pano presentation works well. Well done.
TFS
Todd

[Stephen Stephen]

Austin you seemed to have captured pretty much everything. Fast action, terrified prey, dirt flying etc.
Well done! Another "Wish it were mine image."

Since you cropped this do you have any room for a bit of clockwise rotation?

[Morkel Erasmus]

awesome timing, framing and drama here Austin - it's good enough for me to not even notice the termite mound :)

light wasn't your friend but these guys love to hunt at noontime, probably because the lions are sleeping and they have a better chance of actually finishing the meal

your previous image from this series certainly was a blinder. Did you enter it into the WPOTY per chance? Wonder if it squared off with the winning image by Bridgena Barnard? I would struggle to choose between the 2...

[Marc Mol]

On it's own, a very fine image........until you see the other one that won your award, I remember when you posted it here @ BPN a while ago.

[Hilary Hann]

Not much I can say except to echo everyone's comments. Fantastic sequence. What I like most of all is seeing the hind right foot on the cheetah, just shows so well how they use those claws to get purchase on the ground.

I remember in one of my 1st year zoology classes at Uni that we were studying movement in cheetahs … your photos would have been a wonderful teaching tool!

[Austin Thomas]

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments and feedback.

@Ken. The linked image Won the Nature section of the Al-Thani award for Photography and also the Royal Photographic Society International Projected Image for Nature in 2010. Not forgetting it came 2nd in the BPN Wildlife image of the year that has been won by yourself, and Steve Kaluski.

@Stephen. I totally agree. As soon as I looked at this again this evening I noticed the need for rotation. Yes, I have more canvas to level things up. I did rush this one in my lunch hour after a "Cheetah" prompt by Steve K, but I think it deserves a little more TLC, including a CW rotation.

@Morkel. No I didn't enter WPOTY. I think Brigendas image is very intense, full of drama and a worthy winner.

Looking forward to September, my next trip to Africa, which seems so far away in terms of time...

Cheers

Austin

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi matey, very pleased you found time, and that you posted it, brilliant.

Personally, would prefer a tad more below if possible, but the focus is spot on, where it should be, on the prey. Proves the MKIII isn't that bad. Great action, I like very much the outstretched Cheetah and paw clipping the Gazelle.

Seem to think we wiped the board with one event. BTW just finishing off a beer after 5000 miles now, and weather is the same here too. Yes, September seems a long way off, but you will soon be there, also give 2012 a thought too, as a few of us will try to get together from here I think, drop me a line.

TFS
Steve

[Ofer Levy]

Mind blowing stuff!!!