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Archive 2013 · You never forget your first

eyelaser
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · You never forget your first

I couldn't wait until I got my first glimpse of a wild jaguar. The first afternoon in Pantanal our boat captain spotted a head in the water and shouted jaguar and revved the engine to get us within viewing range once the cat made it to land. It had vanished into the forest before I caught a glimpse but then like magic, it appeared! To my shock, it was huge! This is no leopard sized spotted cat but a 350lbs. behemoth! It is the third largest cat (tigers and lions of course are larger) but this one was easily the size of a lioness or a small male lion. In Pantanal they tend to walk the river banks...very little stopping and posing so quick shooting is imperative. How happy am I to have gotten a 200-400mm just before I left...let me tell you that 90% of my images are with that lens in both the 200-400 mode as well as the added built in 1.4tc. It is a dream lens and allowed me to get shots that I would have had to have two cameras with different focal lengths to get. The image quality is awesome IMHO.
One thing I must say however about the image as a disclaimer...about 50% of the jaguars in the area are radio collared which is a big bummer photographically. So I tried to remove it sensitively...I will also post a few shots with the collar in place. The radio collars are used by Panthera to monitor the cats but we have no access to that and did not find the animal other than by chance. Luckily this was the only collared jaguar we saw. So the others will not be altered.
Hope you enjoy the image...I promise this will be the last single shot for awhile.
Eric
http://eyelaser.smugmug.com/Nature/Pantanal/i-DqHp3Zb/0/XL/XPAN2772firstjag-XL.jpg

Jun 25, 2013 at 04:09 PM

ScottHM
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · You never forget your first

Wow...must've been quite the experience...altered or not, still a great photo. Lighting as you caught it coming out of the brush works really well too. It's just a hope that something like that could be in my future.

Jun 25, 2013 at 04:22 PM

canon.eos30d
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · You never forget your first

Lovely wild shot of a Jaguar, Eric. For sure my heart would pump crazily when I see one.

- Tam

Jun 25, 2013 at 04:35 PM

morris
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · You never forget your first

That jaguar looks tired Eric. Did you make it lug your 200-400 around all week?

Have you tried a 1.4x TC on the 200-400 in 1.4x mode? This would be serious reach!

Morris

Jun 25, 2013 at 05:37 PM

harshaj1
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · You never forget your first

Awesome shot but nothing like seeing it in person in the natural habitat. I want to see more.
harsha

Jun 25, 2013 at 05:57 PM

Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · You never forget your first

Oh wow

So glad you love the lens, you sure waited long enough for it!!

Super glad you had multiple sightings, some visit there and never see a cat. Love this guy partially hidden, that's what they do.

Tim

Jun 25, 2013 at 06:19 PM

surfnron
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · You never forget your first

An extra nice shot Eric. The light is great, and I can't tell you removed the collar. Your kitty is well framed by the foliage too ~ Ron

Jun 25, 2013 at 06:28 PM

OwlsEyes
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · You never forget your first

This is just too cool Eric. I really like environmental images that say as much about the place as it does the animal. This shot really screams... jag in the Pantanal!

I'm looking forward to more.
bruce

Jun 25, 2013 at 06:35 PM

kbarrera
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · You never forget your first

Outstanding Eric ! That's an incredible animal.

Al

Jun 25, 2013 at 06:40 PM

kmunroe
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · You never forget your first

an excellent image Eric

Jun 25, 2013 at 06:57 PM

KCollett
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · You never forget your first

Great shot Eric. Congrats on the new lens. Waiting for more images. Patiently.

Jun 26, 2013 at 07:43 AM

Desert Drake
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · You never forget your first

What a fantastic opening for you, Eric. Love that shot.
Al

Jun 26, 2013 at 07:53 AM

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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · You never forget your first

Awesome!

Charles

Jun 26, 2013 at 08:03 AM

Ted ellis
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · You never forget your first

Jun 26, 2013 at 08:25 AM

eyelaser
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · You never forget your first

ScottHM wrote:
Wow...must've been quite the experience...altered or not, still a great photo. Lighting as you caught it coming out of the brush works really well too. It's just a hope that something like that could be in my future.
Thanks Scott...it was quite a shock seeing it come in to view...I never expected it to be so massive....I hope you get a chance to see these in person one day.
Eric

Jun 26, 2013 at 08:58 AM

eyelaser
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · You never forget your first

canon.eos30d wrote:
Lovely wild shot of a Jaguar, Eric. For sure my heart would pump crazily when I see one.

- Tam
Thanks Tam...and mine was for sure...trying to steady myself on a moving boat is not so easy I soon found out.
Eric

Jun 26, 2013 at 08:59 AM

eyelaser
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · You never forget your first

morris wrote:
That jaguar looks tired Eric. Did you make it lug your 200-400 around all week?

Have you tried a 1.4x TC on the 200-400 in 1.4x mode? This would be serious reach!

Morris
The jaguar had just finished the swim portion of the jungle triathalon so I guess it was a little fatigued. I haven't put an external tc on the lens yet....if I have both the 200-400 and 600 I'd rather mount the tc on the 600 as I am certain IQ will suffer as will focusing speed with both tc in place on the zoom.
Eric

Jun 26, 2013 at 09:01 AM

eyelaser
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · You never forget your first

harshaj1 wrote:
Awesome shot but nothing like seeing it in person in the natural habitat. I want to see more.
harsha
They are something to behold but it is so different from seeing cats in Africa. You can't track them or really follow them except to go up and down the river and hope they come into a clearing. You might go 100-200 yards of just trees and bushes before it pops out again and then only for a couple of seconds. We did get lucky with a couple that spent a bit more time in the open but unlike in a vehicle you have to go past a spot and drift back and sometimes throw an anchor...different for sure.
Eric

Jun 26, 2013 at 09:05 AM

eyelaser
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · You never forget your first

Tim Kuhn wrote:
Oh wow

So glad you love the lens, you sure waited long enough for it!!

Super glad you had multiple sightings, some visit there and never see a cat. Love this guy partially hidden, that's what they do.

Tim
Yes, I do think we were lucky but I was pretty encouraged by the success rate that the guy who runs it proclaims....but we did go a day and a half without a glimpse and its in those times you wonder whether you will ever see another. Thanks for "ovation" my friend.
Eric

Jun 26, 2013 at 09:07 AM

Shasoc
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · You never forget your first

Congrats on your first! and an excellent one!
I really like the setting and the IQ looks great

Socrate

Jun 26, 2013 at 10:06 AM

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