While at Wild Animal Park after catching some butterflies, Louise and Ken and I wandered down to the cheetah run. I got in position at the end of the chute, put the big lens on the Nikon and fired away in continuous mode. This was one of my favorites where he had all four paws off the ground. It's an amazing thing to watch as the cheetahs can get up to 70 to 75 mph in no time at all. You and I wouldn't stand a chance!
OMG Ron, you really nailed this shot. Absolutely stunning. And all fours in the air...... It definitely deserves its PP and TP status. and more. I'd enlarge this one, frame it, and put it on the wall. Incredible capture. Fav....... What else can be said! Guess I'll have to run out to the park one of these days and see this.... We live so close yet, it seems, so far!
Wow Ron! SO MANY good things about this photo! That lens probably cost less than plane fare to Kenya! IF you were in Kenya taking this picture...well, I hesitate to think about it! Thumbs up for this wonderful photo!
Wow, that is some focal length you used, but - to great effect.. i wouldn't be able to carry it let alone use it..
i love that the animals get to run, instead of languishing in their enclosure 24/7.. becoming stressed and totally unhappy.. a good Zoo, putting the welfare of the animals at the fore, exactly as it should be..
you chose an awesome Pov, absolutely purrfect.. a fabulous shot showing the determined and focused look in the animal's eyes and that famous flexing of the backbone.. love the tail held aloft for balance and steering (like a boat's sail) and the wonderful configuration of the legs/feet.
whatever accolades this image garners will be well deserved.. love it!!
What a catch!!! Oh man, that had to be a sight, seeing this cat comin' atcha like this. Afraid I'd be so mesmerized by the scene, I'd forget to push the shutter button.
@johnfalconer Ha ha! Reminds me of the old joke about the guys getting chased by the bear, where the one guy starts putting on his running shoes. His friend says "what are you doing - you'll never outrun that bear." To which he replies, "I know, but all I have to do is outrun you." Thanks for the laugh - and the comments!
To those who commented about the ability of the big cats to run, the San Diego Safari Park and the associated big brother zoo, down in Balboa Park, are both first class facilities that do indeed put the animals first. Safari Park is as much a rehabilitation and educational facility as it is a great place for people to get to experience the animals in what's basically a natural setting. They claim this is the longest cheetah run in the world, but they also emphasized the ample room for the cheetah to slow down once he reaches the end. The cheetahs absolutely love to do this run, and if fact this one ran two times. In a future posting I've got some additional shots of the dirt and grass flying as he changes direction and screeches to a stop. It's almost cartoon-like. Many, many thanks.
@lyndemc You may not realize how accurate your statement is, Denise. Each of the cheetahs has a doggy companion, and they always let the dog do the run first. So of course everyone has their phones and point and shoots out trying to catch the dog running, which is less than half the speed of the cheetah's. So the handlers always say, hey, how'd that photo come out, which is invariably crummy. So they advise putting the camera away and simply watching the cheetah, because it's all over in 4 to 5 seconds. Of course, few heed the advice, and as you surmise, I'll bet that few manage to hit the shutter button when they should. Good to have continuous high speed exposures available. ;-)
@stray_shooter Great narrative about the Safari Park and the Zoo. It is definitely said to be one of the best in the world....... And looking forward to seeing more of your cheetah shots.
@alophoto Thanks Amanda. I don't suppose you mean the trainers run alongside the cheetah! Kidding. FYI, there are two trainers at the beginning of the run where the cheetah is released and two more at the other end where he presents the newly captured prey (a stuffed toy zebra) to the trainers who praise him with hugs and delicious hunks of meat. I just cut them out of the shot.
@stray_shooter -- Iceland WAS a thrill, and I was certainly lucky to be able to be there. Having a photo guide was key -- he knew the spots to get the best photos, and he was a good mentor and teacher. Now if only I could have such a person in every place I travel . . .
i love that the animals get to run, instead of languishing in their enclosure 24/7.. becoming stressed and totally unhappy.. a good Zoo, putting the welfare of the animals at the fore, exactly as it should be..
you chose an awesome Pov, absolutely purrfect.. a fabulous shot showing the determined and focused look in the animal's eyes and that famous flexing of the backbone.. love the tail held aloft for balance and steering (like a boat's sail) and the wonderful configuration of the legs/feet.
whatever accolades this image garners will be well deserved.. love it!!
But to say "You and I wouldn't stand a chance" is not quite right! Only the slowest of the two of us wouldn't stand a chance!!!
To those who commented about the ability of the big cats to run, the San Diego Safari Park and the associated big brother zoo, down in Balboa Park, are both first class facilities that do indeed put the animals first. Safari Park is as much a rehabilitation and educational facility as it is a great place for people to get to experience the animals in what's basically a natural setting. They claim this is the longest cheetah run in the world, but they also emphasized the ample room for the cheetah to slow down once he reaches the end. The cheetahs absolutely love to do this run, and if fact this one ran two times. In a future posting I've got some additional shots of the dirt and grass flying as he changes direction and screeches to a stop. It's almost cartoon-like. Many, many thanks.