Close encounter - Cheetah

Posted by Phil Shaw on Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:22 pm

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Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) – Intrepids, Maasai Mara, Kenya.

Canon EOS10D, 24-70mm/f2.8, hand-held.
Manual exposure using incident meter, f8, 1/640, iso 200.

Matt Cox’s image of Kike (pronounced Kee-Kay) prompted me to post this. This isn’t Kike, but one of her cubs, a young male photographed two weeks ago. When their mother climbs onto the safari vehicles, her three cubs try to imitate her. This is the view from inside the vehicle I was travelling in – eyeball to eyeball with three cheetahs on the roof and the other trying to find a way to climb aboard. Kike has been doing this since she was a cub and is “reliable” but this male is altogether a different proposition. I heard last week that someone had been bitten and it is no surprise.

Phil Shaw
Essex, UK
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by Juan A. Pons on Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:25 pm

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Phil,

Gorgeous portrait. A little to close on the top for my tastes, a little more sky would give it more breathing room. Eyes are pretty dark, is this normal?

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by Phil Shaw on Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:56 pm

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Hi Juan

Thanks for the comments. The sky was so bland that I decided to crop it close, plus I was inside the pop-top roof of the Landcruiser. Cheetahs have deep-set eyes so its hard to get light in there. Some later shots I took, I used a little fill-flash, but I like the natural light better.

Phil Shaw
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by Anders on Mon Feb 16, 2004 3:16 pm

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Amazing!!

Never would have though you could shoot these animals with a 24-70!!
Thanks for sharing,

Anders

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by DC on Mon Feb 16, 2004 4:32 pm

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Nicely done Phil, great shot.

Your right, a lady stepped away from the vehicle whilst in the vicinity of a female cheetah and cubs. Naturally, the cheetah took this as a threat and attacked the woman. I don't think she was badly injured though.

Dave
Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windscreen

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by Chas on Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:27 pm

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Phil, I like the unusual perspective, the upward angle giving the cheetah a statuesque appearance.

I too prefer my mammal images, au natural without flash.

Well done!

Best,

Chas

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by NDCheryl on Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:32 pm

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Beautiful portrait Phil. Well done on the eyes. It is often hard to get any detail in them and these look great. What an experience this must have been.

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by Dennis Olivero on Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:49 pm

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Brilliant work Phil, and unbelievable the proximity to the subject. A wonderful experience for you. Hope to see more.

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by Jack Frank on Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:39 pm

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Phil

Very nice I agree with Chas

Jack Frank
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by Jill on Mon Feb 16, 2004 10:42 pm

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Great in your face shot of this young one, Phil !!! I love it!!!

Jill Rosenfield

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by abiggs on Mon Feb 16, 2004 10:53 pm

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Talk about getting close! After many safaris, I still cannot get used to cheetahs climbing onto the hood of my Land Rover. It just doesn't seem natural!

I am so used to the Serengeti where the cheetahs are common, but we don't know their names. The Masa Mara has named their cheetahs, and you can keep up with what they are doing through other people's photographs.

Thanks for posting.

Andy

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by Carol Clarke on Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:01 am

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There can never be too many Cheetah shots for me!! Love them! Nice one Phil.

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by joseph motto on Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:36 am