Africa Wild

Alf wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 7:45 am Looks like a stunning lodge

Thanks Alf

So the last full day in the park had arrived, First another night shot from the lodge



We had Coffee, yes Coffee and biscuits while waiting for the rest, It was getting to gate time so we opted to do a self drive again, was this going to be a good or bad decision , the same as last time

First up was some Wilde's



followed by a Sticky bird



not sure what this is, could be a Walberg eagle-tawny???



along the way to Kij Kij we found some springbok





As we arrived at Kij Kij the Twee Riverien crowed came flying past , all with the long lenses sticking out the windows and stopped where the jackal den was. I suspect this was the tour group staying at the lodge when we left.

So along we would toddle till we got to the den and the cars, took one or two photo,s



then decided to drive closer, this was not a good idea as you will be looking directly into the sun , was I as there was a tree and shade, we would park in the shade giving me chance to shoot.

Well it paid off as the pups ended up behind the log out of sight to the rest of the group , we got some nice looks from the group when they realized what we had done and us been in the best position, shooting from the shade









We decided to leave the pups as it was now getting hectic with the group trying to get in on the action, Just past Kij Kij going to Rooiputs we got the game drive , They asked what we saw , we told them about the pups , but where not interested and decided to go and look for the spotty's, we decided to tag along also.

half way to Rooiputs while I was scanning , looking into the sun I noticed a shape and screamed Cheetah , SG started flashing the lights like mad for the game drive, but they just carried on



Okay now we had a Cheetah with springbok not more than 30m away, where we going to be lucky today or not, was I going to get one of my dream shots or not

Traffic jam

Impossible to choose the best jackal shot!

Such cute pups!!

Hope you got your dream shot!

Lovely puppies!

I hate cliffhangers

Alf wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 12:24 pm Traffic jam

Thanks Alf

Richprins wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 12:35 pm

Impossible to choose the best jackal shot!

thanks RP

Flutterby wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 12:38 pm Such cute pups!!

Hope you got your dream shot!

Thanks Flutterby and yes one of them

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 2:19 pm Lovely puppies!

I hate cliffhangers

Thanks Lisbeth

now we had a problem , where will he go, will it go for the springbok on our side of the road or those on the other side of the road. Do I try and take it full on or opt for a side shot, if full on will the lens and camera be fast enough, where is the sun and how will It effect the shoot if it does go

I decided to go for a side shot just incase the camera and lens is not fast enough for a full on shot, there are ways of doing it with a slow camera, but I was not going to take any chance, as for the sun drove slightly past the cheetah so the angle would change quickly once it started to move. I opted for a fast speed 1/4000, was not going to make the same mistake as I did on day one .All in my mind was get the shot

So we wait and wait with my eye to the camera waiting for the charge, nothing, so I decide to start photographing squirrel



One photo later SG says the Cheetah, huh what about the Cheetah, SG it's charging panic stations . I start shooting with short burst's as not to full the memory up before the final action

Enjoy







and then one of the shots I always wanted





He then swung and went over the road

shot through the back window closed





looking through the side mirror on SG side due to the canopy I see a cloud of dust ,tell SG to turn around as he has caught the buck

Nature at its best And you got it superbely on camera

Amazing series of the hunt and kill

I have never tried but I suppose it is not easy to follow a running Cheetah through the lens. I find the result excellent, with clear-cut shots, very good positionning and attitude of the animal and so on...

Poor Springbok, with its fellow companions watching the kill...

I have one question about your post-treatment. Personnally, I tend to apply the least post-treatment as possible so that the picture remains closest to natural. I understand that we can saturate a bit an image to make it more "dramatic". What I don't undestand is that you apply a different post-treatment to the photos of a same series, so your cheeaths appear sometimes more "yellowish" and sometimes more "redish". I don't have any real preference, but I think they should appear the same way for the harmony of the whole series. The same for the Jackal pups (which are sooo cute by the way).

For me, colourwise, the last of the Jackal pups is the "best" (more natural), and for the Cheetah, maybe the 5th.