I’m thinking this Cheeta was eyeing a future meal.
Any and all comments welcomed.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. Lens: Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 400 mm,
f/6.3 for 1/1000 sec. ISO 4000. Edited with Photoshop, Topaz Studio and Nik Viveza 2.
A truly stunning image, Robert. As I only photograph landscapes I can really appreciate the effort and expertise to capture an image such as this… 
Robert: Marvelous portrait of a magnificent animal. Was this taken in the wild? If so I’d love to hear the back story. >=))>
Thank you, Paul.
I’d have to say this was in a semi-wild location. I captured this image at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas. Thank you for your kind words. Bob
This is a fine capture, Robert, with the Cheeta looking at you even while it’s sharpening its claws. The burnt log adds interest. Based on the guidlines for animal captures under captive conditions, my opinion is that the game park setting should have been disclosed in the original post.
Here is my take on that, Mark. The challenge description says “in their natural environments.” For this cheetah this is it’s natural environment and he is free to roam at will within that environment. This is not a zoo, but as the name implies a wildlife center where several species are free to roam about. There are many of these throughout the country and photos of those species should be allowed in my opinion. Not everyone can make an African Safari to capture an image of say a Zebra or a Giraffe of which these same species are also in this center. Robert Engle
Robert, the NPN posting guidelines say that photos of animals in a captive environment (like a zoo or a game park) should be posted to the everything else gallery. I agree that the description of the weekly challenge says nothing about captive or not, so I’m fine you posting here, I just wish you’d said a bit more about the environment.
I think that this has always been a point of discussion when it comes to photos of more exotic animals
(Zebras, giraffes, etc.) I personally don’t see a great bit of difference in riding around in a passenger truck in a wild life park capturing images of these animals as opposed to riding around in a African Safari truck being driven by a guide in an Kenya game preserve. I have seen images of wild animals captured in such parks with sky scrapers in the back round. This is not to belittle the African Safari experience which is truly a wonderful thing. Still, the point I’m trying to make here is not the location of the animal’s home, but the quality and story of the photograph itself. If you feel that my image should be reclassified then please do so. I don’t want to stand on a technicality, but it may be an issue that might need to be reconsidered at Nature Photographer’s Network. After all you could consider the photograph of a Bison taken in one of the National Parks as falling into a similar definition. Robert Engle
The stare and pose of the cheetah are magnificent and the composition is nice with the diagonal line. I have read the above discussion and I presume the NPN guideline means that the natural environment of a cheetah is not in Texas. Now I’m oversimplifying things, perhaps, but that would make it clear to me wich category the photo should go in. Whichever the category, however, the image is striking, though I would consider sharpening it a bit less to make the hairs of the fur look a bit more natural. Grt, Ingrid.
Thank you, Ingrid for your input. Robert
Interesting shot. Detail is really nice, but agree with Ingrid and would probably say soften the sharpness a little. The whites on the chin could maybe toned down a hair. I’d also maybe love to see it not cropped - more of an environmental shot? Nice capture.
Thank you, Christine. Robert Engle
