Cheetah duo

Nope, not Photoshop, they were really sitting like this...

great shot! you were definately in the right place at the one time my friend!! looks nice and sharp too....

Well captured. Talk about being in the right place at the right time...

Very cool! The only way this could be better is if there were three or four cats sitting that way.

Who says the midday is a bad time for photography? This time it makes the symmetry perfect, as the shadows on their face is symmetrical too. Congratulations!

An arresting image. Well done. Good models, and you were there to catch it. Can't think of any way to improve on nature..GS

Wonderful! Great image and great job capturing it. One of the most intriguing nature images I've seen. Congratulations.

RB

I have always wanted to go on an African Safari, and this desire was one of the main motivating factors for me to take up photography in the first place. However, as I have come to appreciate what makes a great photograph, both from a technical and a compositional perspective, I realize that simply filling the frame with a picture of an exotic animal is simply fodder for the masses - a nice snapshot if you will. Since the predators of the African Savannah look simply awesome all on their own, a great photograph of these subjects demands a composition that provides a "context" that we as humans can try to interpret.

 

This picture easily accomplishes such a context. While it may simply have been fortuitous timing, the result stirs a couple of different reactions in me. One interpretation I have is that these are two equally proud felines, both of whom shun the assistance of the other while hunting for prey. The other reaction I have is almost the polar opposite in that they are genuinely hunting as a "team" and ensuring that their two sets of eyes are used to maximum benefit. Either way, it causes me to appreciate the photo in a deeper way than simply looking at the "pretty cats."

 

From a technical point of view, it would be interesting to know what aperature you used. While the depth of field is indeed shallow, it could probably benefit from an even shallower depth of field and/or a darker background. However, I suspect that shortening the depth of field in this instance may have been difficult since you probably took this shot from quite a distance. Since the shallower depth of field I propose is intended to focus the viewers attention even more tightly on the cheetahs, I might suggest a tighter crop as an alternative. One other slight nitpick from a technical perspective is the heavy cast of shadow on the undersides of the cheetahs. On the one hand - as a commentor above noted - the even cast further adds to the symetry of the picture. But on the other, the lack of detail in the shadow areas bothers me a little (HOWEVER, I am viewing this on a lousy monitor here at work and I know that it has difficulty displaying shadow detail. Therefore, this point could be way off base and please disregard it if appropriate). With respect to these technical comments/suggestions though, they are very minor, and do very little to diminish my enjoyment of this photo.

 

I know this is a lengthy comment, but as I pointed out, this picture brought to life one of the main reasons I got into photography in the first place. Again, IMHO only, this is an excellent photograph, and worthy of POW consideration. This is especially the case given that I have difficulty recollecting any recent wildlife POWs. Maybe it's time.