Cheetahs on Trek

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 3, 2015191 views8 comments

I have barely had time to process some new images this year, but here's one I got round to last night while preparing entries for a competition. This female cheetah, called "Kakenya" by the folks in the Mara Triangle, was leading her litter of 5 cubs (only 3 in the frame here) across the vast savanna in search of dinner. The zebras in the background made sure not to let them out of their sight (I always enjoy seeing how prey species react to predators nonchalantly strolling past them).

There's so much going on here, and as usual I tried to capture some context in my frame. The spots of the cheetahs vs the stripes of the zebras, the lighter grassland vs the shadowed backdrop of the Oloololo Escarpment, and the distinct shape of the Balanites trees so typical of the area - all working together to tell the story of this moment frozen in time.

Techs:
Nikon D4s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f8.0 | 1/1250 SS | ISO-900

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on April 3, 2015 at 1:20 PM

Hey Morkel,

Wow - story upon story in this image - layered visually and conceptually...very well done! I am left wondering if those evil zebras managed to separate those cubs from mom and successfully prey upon them...

It's rare that I can't find a suggestion on a tweak or two to make on an image to improve it (even if it's a "in a perfect world" comment), but have to say I'm at a loss to say anything but this: completely well done - well seen, well captured, well processed!

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 3, 2015 at 2:05 PM

What a cool scene. I like the different "layers" in this... cheetahs, zebras, trees. They all work well together.

I do feel like the left side is a bit empty and is cropped a bit loose. I could see a squarish crop working well here, which would help emphasize the visual balance between the mother cheetah and the prominent, lighter tree in the upper right.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Clinton Bauder on April 3, 2015 at 4:14 PM

Fantastic! I do find myself thinking that there is a bit too much space on the left and not quite enough on the right but regardless this is an amazing shot.

Clinton

Registered on December 8, 2009, 31 Posts, 231 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on April 4, 2015 at 4:57 AM

Morkel, this is simply in a different class. Absolutely stunning and mesmerizing. One of the finest images posted on NPN in my personal opinion, and I mean that sincerely and without exaggeration. Truly outstanding. I'm with Brad on this one!

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on April 4, 2015 at 7:24 AM

Super cool !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on April 5, 2015 at 9:54 AM

Morkel: a stunning image in all respects. It really needs to be viewed large to appreciate it as it contains many layers. Congrats, Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on April 13, 2015 at 12:51 AM

Thank you all so much...

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Betty-Lou Luyken on April 13, 2015 at 9:55 AM

Congrats on having your image in the Weekly Picks, Morkel. I love the atmosphere and I think the black and white conversion does suit the image. I have seen cheetahs in the wild lots of times, but when I saw a mother with cubs they were always almost grown up. So I am still waiting to get a chance to see and photograph small cheetah cubs.

Registered on July 9, 2007, 17 Posts, 82 Comments