NikonGear'23

Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:01:01

Title: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:01:01
I'm currently going through my images from the 2009 Safari to South Africa and thought I would post some here ;)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:10:18
Up the tree, no fence - face to face - Quite an exiting experience!
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:15:02
These are all the 300mm AF-I 2.8 on D3
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:23:36
Nothing like a little cosy time  :P
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:33:53
The couple together, I was really happy to get this shot, waited like forever for them to look the same direction.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 20:34:34
The end of this set,,,
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Anthony on February 16, 2016, 21:27:16
Such lovely creatures.  Mrs A (a cat lover) adores them.  §3, §4 and §5 are exceptional.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: John Geerts on February 16, 2016, 21:33:07
Super photo's, Erik !!  Really impressive.

#2 is my favourite  ;) but #3 has a fantastic look and bokeh.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: elsa hoffmann on February 16, 2016, 21:36:44
wow Erik - so beautiful! wish they were mine
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Ron Scubadiver on February 16, 2016, 21:37:23
regal animals
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Thomas G on February 16, 2016, 21:39:12
The couple together, I was really happy to get this shot, waited like forever for them to look the same direction.
Reply #4: Superb! My wife likes it as well, that makes +2!
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Akira on February 16, 2016, 21:39:34
Erik, these captures are so unique!  Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jakov Minić on February 16, 2016, 22:20:43
Beautiful images!
I remember them as if you had made them yesterday :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: BW on February 16, 2016, 22:23:05
Nice powerful animals. The pair together are great :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Tristin on February 16, 2016, 22:46:24
Images 2 and 3 are my favorites, though all are good.  I really enjoy the colors and expression of the second.  The serenity of the third combined with such a powerful animal is pleasant, and the foreground bokeh really adds to the feel.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 16, 2016, 23:06:41
I appreciate your comments a lot! Thank you!
#2 Was pure adrenaline kick to shoot,,,
Currently #3 is on my Desktop ;)
#5 I was absolutely flat on my stomach with the camera buried in the soil to include foreground,,,
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Tristin on February 16, 2016, 23:29:09
#5 I was absolutely flat on my stomach with the camera buried in the soil to include foreground,,,

The effort is noticed and appreciated.   :)  I myself have been recently trying to bring foreground bokeh into my images.  It really does a lot in bringing the viewer into the scene. 

Having an extra aesthetic angle to squeeze in while composing is certainly fun for the photographical gymnast in us too . . .  ;)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 16, 2016, 23:53:51
Hey, I know that Cheetah ;D

Backlit by the soft golden African morning sun, one of my favourite shots of the safari
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2533/3851156477_728c1fe1ed_o.jpg)
D700 with 200-400/4VR, South Africa 2009
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 17, 2016, 00:00:46
Here's two images from that little excursion btw, first one is the crew together with Pawel getting into the Cheetah pen and the latter is me getting intimate with a Caracal.

Got these images from the fellow travellers, forgot who took them though (might be Dallas).

Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jakov Minić on February 17, 2016, 01:34:03
now i know why i make blurry images, because i am blurry in them :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jakov Minić on February 17, 2016, 10:46:31
Here's the cat :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jakov Minić on February 17, 2016, 10:52:00
and the profile :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Richard A on February 17, 2016, 12:13:03
Nice - love # 3 especially
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: rosko on February 17, 2016, 14:30:32
Magnifique ! :D

Very sharp images. Well done ! I like the detailed pins in the cat's tongue...

I have few cats in my archives, but still in slides... :-\

Thanks for sharing, Francis.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: golunvolo on February 17, 2016, 18:00:41
Thank you all for sharing this trip. Beautiful images and animals. I´m not jealous at all!
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 17, 2016, 20:11:21
Up the tree, no fence - face to face - Quite an exiting experience!
Especially because some people claim that Cheetahs can't climb in trees, your images proof otherwise :)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: armando_m on February 17, 2016, 20:38:03
#4 makes me wonder if cheetahs cough hair balls

Gorgeous series !
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 17, 2016, 21:11:27
Thanks!  :D
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Gary on February 17, 2016, 23:04:49
Nicely captured!
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 18, 2016, 00:34:05
now i know why i make blurry images, because i am blurry in them :)
The image is full of our typical stereotype behaviour:
- You are blurry and accompanied by a pretty lady with coloured hair
- The Bear has his Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 APO Lanthar ready to go
- The Giant is avoiding eye contact so not to scare the intended subject of interest (which didn't work with the Cheetah btw as he climbed the first tree he could find)
- I'm being as minimalistic as usual and still asleep this early in the morning ;D
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Hugh_3170 on February 18, 2016, 00:48:06
As all have noted - a great collection of images - many thanks to Erik & Jan Anne for sharing.  I have looked at them all a number of times.

Are Cheetahs as friendly towards humans as they are reputed to be or have these ones been acclimatised to us? 

And is that a baby Cheetah that is hiding between your legs JA?  (You are a braver man than I JA  -  I would not take such a chance!   ;D  ;D)
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 18, 2016, 01:33:53
This was inside a Cheetah rehabilitation centre so these were wild Cheetahs somewhat accustomed to people but not fully domesticated, they were very nervous when we first entered their pen climbing trees and such to get away from us. Over time they relaxed and we could take the eye to eye shots presented in this topic.

The cat getting intimate with my private parts was a Caracal if I remember correctly. I got low to be less of a threat, he approached me, gave me good sniff and decided to squeeze himself between my legs, so funny.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal)

Though I have been bitten and clawed a few times animals in general don't scare me and somehow I seem to have a calming effect on them, most of the time ;D

Not really fond of big spiders though, in the Australian outback I kind of froze up once when an unknown species the size of my fist jumped on my chest when I closed the curtains he was hiding in. He looked me in the eye and I could clearly see his big fangs ready to strike, the only thought that went through my mind was that I was proper f*cked if he decided to bite me in the chest 360km away from the nearest hospital. After a couple of intens seconds which lasted for ages he jumped away and my adrenaline levels slowly returned to normal levels :o
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Erik Lund on February 18, 2016, 10:27:26
Thank you!

Yep that little cat was a Caracal, it got completely focused on my camera strap but for a few seconds I had eye contact, really happy with this image ;)
As I recall it passed between my legs as well,,,  :o


(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1645/24473655114_b955b8fd36_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/DhDT1W)18828658000_e097a0d0a4_o (https://flic.kr/p/DhDT1W) by Erik Gunst Lund (https://www.flickr.com/photos/erik_lund/), on Flickr


Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Hugh_3170 on February 18, 2016, 11:31:19
Thanks guys.  From the scratch marks on the Caracal's nose, I am indeed glad that he was friendly towards the pair of you.
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jan Anne on February 23, 2016, 23:52:10
Found another African cat, this time a juvenile Leopard caught in the spot light during one of the evening game drives.

We saw very few wild cats during our stay, this is the only one I could catch without having branches blocking the view (or was too late to catch them crossing the road).

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4090/5083255513_2880c0afd9_o.jpg)
Nikon D700 with 70-200/2.8VR, South Africa 2009
Title: Re: Big Cats
Post by: Jørgen Ramskov on March 07, 2016, 16:22:21
I've catching up on NG threads, so I'm late to the party, but these are excellent.

JA: Hilarious description of the group picture :D