What comes natural.

[Marc Mol]

5.54pm
Marking and scenting one of their favourite trees, may not be everyone's cup of tea, however it plays a large part in a Cheetah's natural behavior and survival.
I had a look at cropping out the green layered BG, but felt the resultant pano was a little too cramped for the tail.

D3s 500VR 1/160s ISO800@f/6.3 F/F. Mara Oct 2010

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Harshad Barve]

Actually that green band adds here for me at-least
Excellent behavior image here
TFS

[Ken Watkins]

Marc,

I have ceased taking images like this and actally never really liked them, it is just a personal taste thing

[Hilary Hann]

Marc, I would agree on leaving the green band in as the tail does look like it would be a bit close to the top. I think your dof field works to your advantage here and the grasses have enough texture and colour variation to look interesting. There would appear to always be a place for images of animal behaviour and this captures the interest the cheetah have in the tree and I like the left cheetah looking around.

Just as a matter of interest Ken, why do you not like these kinds of images? I know everyone has different likes and dislikes, this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge.

[Marc Mol]

Marc,

I have ceased taking images like this and actally never really liked them, it is just a personal taste thing

may not be everyone's cup of tea,

Yep, no problem Ken, I know you are a coffee drinker!

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Hilary

this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge.

I can remember Harshad posting something similar some months ago which sparked some controversy re, distracting, but natural BG elements.
Nothing removed here BTW.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Marc, nicely done here, the lack of distractions is good, and the both sides of the behaviour are captured, investigating scents and laying them down. I like the green BG...You did well to get it sharp at that shutter speed.
TFS
Grant

[Rachel Hollander]

Marc - it's a nice environment shot and the behavior is natural. While it is not something I would hang on the wall, it is something I would take while in the field. I think the green foliage adds to the image and agree with your assessment of space issues without it.

TFS,
Rachel

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely low angle and nice DOF...Lovely image Marc

[Morkel Erasmus]

lovely techs here Marc, and good poses by both...I don't mind any images of natural animal behaviour...they are "naked" all the time anyway haha

looks a tad underexposed to me? maybe brighten it just a smidge?

[Steve Canuel]

Marc - it's a nice environment shot and the behavior is natural. While it is not something I would hang on the wall, it is something I would take while in the field. I think the green foliage adds to the image and agree with your assessment of space issues without it.

+1 Here. Its a nice simple composition with no distracting elements. The green band adds some contrast in color, and I now know more about male cheetah anatomy than I could have ever hoped for

[Ken Watkins]

Just as a matter of interest Ken, why do you not like these kinds of images? I know everyone has different likes and dislikes, this one just hasn't come up before to my knowledge.

Hilary,

Missed your request until now, "function" images may well be part of natures wonderful bounty but they are not to my taste. Perhaps I am a little old fashioned:2:2

Marc,

Actually I am mainly a tea drinker, but then I was brought up in UK.