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Cheetah Games
1st PlaceCheetah Games
RoyC


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2012-09 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 200-400mm f/4.0G IF-ED
Location: Mashatu, Botswana
Date: Sep 17, 2012
Aperture: f4
ISO: 280
Shutter: 1/2000
Date Uploaded: Sep 30, 2012

 Three juvenile Cheetah seemed to be playing a game of Tag shortly after a kill. Such a privelage to witness the amazing ability and speed of these animals as they played in front of us.

Thank you so much for all the kind words and of course, the votes. Rian, thank you for encouraging me to submit an image and to start getting involved in DPC.

The weird background "artifacts" issue was actually something that almost made me not enter this image but I felt that the action more of a focus point.

All the images with this background have the same "weirdness" to it that is not lens bokeh, processing (it is in the RAW/NEF image as well) or even what I suspected was possibly sensor dirt or smudging (a problem I had earlier on the trip which was resolved - thanks again to Rian). The texture of the grass seems to be the problem but I would still love to smooth it out a little so I will be sending you a "pm" Cory.

From all the comments on other images and mine, private messages etc. this really seems like a great place to be. I know I have plenty to learn so will be entering challenges that are out of my comfort zone. Hopefully I will learn to be more than a "one trick pony" :^)

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 239
Avg (all users): 7.4917
Avg (commenters): 8.1000
Avg (participants): 7.5294
Avg (non-participants): 7.4000
Views since voting: 3720
Views during voting: 251
Votes: 120
Comments: 49
Favorites: 5 (view)

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AuthorThread
 10/14/2012 07:42:05 PM
I love this capture, great action shot.
Congrats
 10/09/2012 12:21:08 PM
Thank you.
@"snaffles" - I haven't thought of that but it could be. It is very hot there as well so not improbable at all.
 10/09/2012 11:38:09 AM
Whoa! First-ever entry = blue ribbon? Wow!Congrats!
 10/09/2012 07:53:29 AM
What an amazing capture of some of my favourite big cats. Huge congrats on your first blue on your first entry, and welcome to DPC!!! :-)

ETA: Looking at the artefacts, and considering you're in Africa, wouldn't it be heat haze plus a bit of compression? I know I get similar results with my 300 and even more with the TC on. Tack-sharp within the dof but beyond that, usually soft. And I've taken shots in the dead of winter, of birds on the ground, and there is still heat haze!

Message edited by author 2012-10-09 07:57:50.
 10/09/2012 04:38:09 AM
Congrats on your deserved blue, Roy.
 10/08/2012 05:38:24 PM
Wonderful!! Congratulations!
 10/08/2012 04:30:40 PM
You've accomplished one of very hardest things ever to achieve, a Blue in a FS, let alone your very first entry! Congratulations, looking forward to your future entries.
 10/08/2012 03:30:06 PM
Seems we're all in agreement then. Fantastic!
 10/08/2012 02:41:36 PM
Great start! Congrats on the well deserved blue, what an amazing image!
 10/08/2012 02:40:45 PM
First image entered and a blue ribbon! Congrats! It's truly a stunning image.
 10/08/2012 02:23:12 PM
Wow! CONGRATS! What a way to start your DPC time here! Fabulous!

A blue in Free Study! I have over 600 entries... still hoping for a ribbon in a FS. :D
Congrats!
10/08/2012 01:44:53 PM
Thank you for the kind comments everyone. Tanguera, I was actually thinking about that today but I know that I have so much to learn about different aspects or genres of photography as well as PP that it is inevitable that I get my first "1" score pretty soon as well :^)
 10/08/2012 01:12:13 PM
Seriously?! The BLUE, in the FS, on your FIRST entry?????!!! Wow, it's all downhill from here...

Just kidding, what a shot. And cheetahs are my favorite animals in the world. Congrats.
 10/08/2012 12:38:00 PM
Fabulous shot!! Great timing. Great focus. Well done!
 10/08/2012 12:16:03 PM
Awesome action shot. Way to start on DPC! Congrats!
 10/08/2012 11:13:48 AM
Good stuff,Congratulations.
 10/08/2012 09:27:50 AM
Congratulations Roy, what a wonderful image and a great start at DPC.
10/08/2012 09:08:49 AM
One challenge, one blue, impressive, well done.
 10/08/2012 08:40:45 AM
Thank you so much for all the kind words and of course, the votes. Moved the rest of this message to above - still learning my way around here ... ;^)

Message edited by author 2012-10-08 09:30:07.
 10/08/2012 03:45:57 AM
Not surprised this won - it's breathtaking!
 10/08/2012 01:35:29 AM
As of right now, you are the photographer with the highest average vote received on DPC.

I'd stop now. ;)

..

If you're interested in fixing the bokeh problem mentioned by myself and others, PM me and I'll be glad to go through it with you.

-CB
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2012 01:23:50 AM
Took you a long time to start participating. And what a start! This picture was always going to win. Proudly South African. Congratulations.
ETA:Nice camera too!!

Message edited by author 2012-10-08 01:25:59.
 10/08/2012 01:17:48 AM
ahhhhh love mashatu! it looks so dry, wonderful capture, congrats.
 10/08/2012 12:41:10 AM
What a beautiful shot indeed. Hnads down the most awesome animals in the wild! Great first challenge to be blue in a FS!
 10/08/2012 12:32:43 AM
Congrats.
 10/08/2012 12:22:22 AM
WD Roy! What a way to get welcomed to DPC. Fabulous image shot in the wild. I look forward to your journey!
 10/08/2012 12:14:28 AM
Congratulations on a wonderful shot and well done with the blue ribbon. Welcome to Dpc and hope to see many more entries from you. DPC is a great community and you will learn allot here, even just challenging yourself to enter these challenges. Enjoy the Ribbon and chat soon
 10/08/2012 12:14:20 AM
Congrats on the blue; your first! What an honor.
 10/08/2012 12:04:46 AM
Congrats on the blue! Great shot.
Oh, my gosh, I just realized this is your first challenge entry, Wow! what a debut!

Message edited by author 2012-10-08 00:06:50.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/07/2012 10:34:56 PM
Perfect capture.. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2012 10:21:13 PM
Wow! Fantastic focus! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2012 08:02:49 PM
Incredible stop action - great focus on the two facing us and very nice focus on the third. I love the way they are flying through the air. Top two for me. Voted earlier.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2012 11:12:40 AM
great catch... better than the circus, for sure. Perfect exposure - wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2012 10:38:43 AM
What a moment.
 10/07/2012 10:10:30 AM
Excellent capture.
 10/07/2012 08:12:13 AM
Wow! Crazy catch of action.
 10/06/2012 10:38:16 PM
great composition
bump up
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/06/2012 06:32:03 PM
Great capture. What an expression on his face. All the power in this image is the right two cats. You may want to crop tight in on the both of them and tell the back one to open his eyes next time :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/05/2012 09:29:50 PM
Wow! Excellent capture of the action, and they are so artfully arranged!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/05/2012 02:24:12 PM
Oh yes!
 10/04/2012 05:32:47 AM
This must be our new challenge participant RoyC's image. Welcome aboard!
Definitely ribbon worthy shot, excellent focus, and you were quite lucky with the cheetahs appearing in a perfect composition :) I find that lenses bokeh to be quite ugly, though (or is it from post-processing?)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/04/2012 04:14:26 AM
Great moment captured of these siblings playing and learning. Wonderful composition, exposure and s/s to stop the action. Odd artefact in the BG grasses, either the lens Bokeh or during PP.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/04/2012 02:46:09 AM
Thinking this is probably RoyC's entry. Pretty much nailed everything.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/03/2012 07:34:11 AM
This is a excellent image capturing the animals at there best great action and composition ..Very well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/03/2012 12:40:38 AM
Dont I wish I could go on safari and get these cool shots! Nice shot.
 10/01/2012 11:09:38 PM
Over processed, the cross hatched feeling of the background really kills the image for me. Wonderful moment though, really nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2012 11:28:17 AM
There seems to be some digital artifacts going on in the blurry areas but overall this shot has terrific impact. Certainly among my top picks.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2012 08:13:12 AM
fantastic action shot
 10/01/2012 07:54:18 AM
What a moment! Great capture 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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