ViewBug community member jonste shares the techniques and story behind this awarded photo.
This is a photo from the Maasai Mara in Kenya. It was shot during the Great Migration in early August 2016. This was sometime before noon on our very last day before heading back to home to Sweden. We were heading back to camp when we saw the cheetahs getting up on the old termite mound, so it was a really good ending to the trip.
Anything worth sharing about lighting?
This was shot in natural light. If I remember correctly it was a bit cloudy, making the colours a bit dull, but also for a nice and even light.
What equipment did you use?
This was shot handheld from our vehicle, 175mm with a Nikon 80-400mm lens on a Nikon D500 body.
What inspired you to take this photo?
I just wanted to capture the moment with the cheetah and her cubs, and was lucky enough that she yawned.
Did you do any post-processing?
This photo is a stitch. In the original photo I had a very tilted horizon, and when I adjusted it in Lightroom I didn't have enough space left on top and to the right of the cheetah. Luckily I had the option to create a stitch using two versions of this scene, where I got more space in the background to play around with. Other than that it's pretty basic Lightroom processing.
What equipment do you normally have in your bag?
When I took this photo my camera bag consisted of a Nikon D500 and a Nikon D750 and three lenses; Nikon 80-400mm F4.5-5-6, Nikon 70-200mm F4 and a Samyang 14mm F2.8.
Any advice for others trying to capture something similar?
Get out there and hope for the best. Timing and luck is a big part of safari photography, especially if you are a tourist rather than a professional.
