Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Nature & Wildlife Posting Guidelines
  

FM Forums | Nature & Wildlife | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
  

Archive 2013 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.

  
 
DonGut
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Day 3 started with tracking lions and following their roar. The guides thought 2 males were fighting over mating rights. But as we got close we got distracted. We found 2 cheetahs, new to the area. I love cheetahs so the choice was made. We followed. All day! There were great shots of stretching, looking, walking and of course time spent resting. But the cheetahs were obviously in need of a meal. The other vehicles had long since departed when after 6 hours they saw a prey and started to stalk. There was lots of brush and we were well back. We didn't want to move our vehicle as that might disturb the hunt. We waited until the chase started. We picked a spot and hoped. We came to a clearing and were rewarded. The hunt had turned back towards us. The lead cheetah had knocked the impala down but couldn't hold it as the impala got up to make last attempt to break away. The second cheetah then pounced for the final take down. It was over fast. The entire take down took less than 1 second. I was ready with camera in hand and the right settings and I fired at high speed. I got the best (by far) action shot of my life. Image #4 is the 3rd frame of the sequence. I will post frame #1 in a later post, the best of the lot.
After the kill the cheetahs took another 4 hours to get enough energy to eat. So it was a long day! My wife is a saint to be out the entire day with me and I have to thank her for her patience, as well as our skilled driver.



© DonGut 2013

Cheetah streching.





© DonGut 2013

The cute side!





© DonGut 2013

They love termite mounds





© DonGut 2013

The take down. Not cute!





© DonGut 2013

The reward; demon eyes.




Oct 20, 2013 at 12:36 AM
Reeftank1
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wow. You have had a wonderful experience and the patience has really paided off. Can't wait for #1!

Brian



Oct 20, 2013 at 12:39 AM
helenica
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Brilliant series Don!


Oct 20, 2013 at 02:41 AM
David Leask
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wow, awesome shots Don. What a great job you did!
David



Oct 20, 2013 at 03:46 AM
eyelaser
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Full of awesome Don....to the patient goes the spoils...and that goes to both cheetah bros. and you guys. I can only imagine the heart pounding that went on and even believing you had the right settings, still hoping that when you looked at the LCD that it was right. And when you saw it was...a smile and a knowing nod to your wife and guide was all it took for them to know too.
Ok, we're even
Eric



Oct 20, 2013 at 04:38 AM
birdied
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Don, amazing ,amazing set. The stretch , the tender moment, the looking and then the action. Each says so much .

Birdie



Oct 20, 2013 at 06:38 AM
Desert Drake
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


What a grand series. That take down is a phenomenal shot. Thank you.
Al



Oct 20, 2013 at 07:28 AM
MS PHOTO
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wow, what a awesome set.
Paul



Oct 20, 2013 at 07:52 AM
arbitrage
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Amazing shots. That takedown shot is spectacular so I can't imagine what the other shot does better but I can't wait to see it.


Oct 20, 2013 at 08:56 AM
Tim Kuhn
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Excellent Don, just excellent Your patience paid off and kudos to Mrs Don for being patient with you Super

Tim



Oct 20, 2013 at 09:28 AM
markdennis
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wonderful Don. Even after the kill the tension is there..... a Hyena or Lion Could kick them off the kill in a heartbeat. Keep 'em coming.

Mark



Oct 20, 2013 at 10:54 AM
sritri
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Lovely shots Don.


Oct 20, 2013 at 11:08 AM
waldr_p
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Congrats on this set Don, capturing the action like that cannot have been easy and you've done a great job!

Super stuff.

Paul.



Oct 20, 2013 at 12:50 PM
tfoltz
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Great set Don, #4 is my pick of this wonderful group.

-Tim



Oct 20, 2013 at 02:05 PM
troylim
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


I am jealous. Nice series.


Oct 20, 2013 at 02:27 PM
kmunroe
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


an excellent set Don


Oct 20, 2013 at 02:40 PM
m.sommers00
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wow that's incredible! I'm very envious of your cheetah spottings. I was all over Africa for two months and only saw them a couple of times, very rare indeed! To see a kill of any sorts is even more rare. Lucky!


Oct 20, 2013 at 04:13 PM
BeeBalm
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Don,
Excellent set.
Two is Tenderness and Four is Furiousness which ROCK!!!
BeeBalm



Oct 20, 2013 at 05:06 PM
steve_c1
Offline

Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Don, these shots are just fantastic!
My wife and I are just about to embark on our first ever safari and I am agonizing - no \t a word of a lie! - over what to take camera and lens wise. I should probably just enjoy the experience but may I ask what equipment you took with you? These shots are tremendous and if I come home with one like this I will be thrilled!



Oct 20, 2013 at 05:49 PM
Charlie Shugart
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Botswana Day #3. A day I'll never forget.


Wonderful post, Don.
Each excellent image is made better because of the story-telling sequence of your presentation.
And the take-down is as good an image as I've ever seen of cheetahs- including the pros who spend weeks or months waiting, watching, and shooting.
Thanks for these.
Charlie



Oct 20, 2013 at 06:08 PM
1
       2       end




FM Forums | Nature & Wildlife | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.