Dawn, mist and a cheetah

The plan for the morning was simple.

Today, we were not going on the basis of where we know the lion pride was last evening or to the tree where the leopard had stashed her kill.

I was leaving a day early. My flight was around mid-morning so our route, as we set out at dawn, was to go in the general direction of the airfield. That way, we could maximize our productive time in the field.

It was still quite dark when we set off. On top of it, there was fog all around us, which made our progress a tad tentative but we felt good about the fog. It could give us some good moody shots as the light gets better.

Provided we have a subject and pretty early, we found one.

Through the gloom, one of us sensed some movement on our left, away from the track, and as we slowed down, we could sense movement. It was hazy, but something was definitely moving out there. We could vaguely make out the sleek frame of a cheetah.

A cheetah who seemed rather hungry and was keen to find herself a meal.

What followed for the next couple of hours was the stuff that dreams are made of. This lady was eagerly looking out for prey and none seemed available.

She walked long distances.

Through gently sloping meadows, through grasslands.

She climbed mounds to gaze around her from a height.

She sat down for a breather.

And all the while, the light and the mist kept changing.

The skies changed from a gentle blush, to fiery red and then went back to a mouthwatering palette of mild hues. As she crossed long distances, the mist rose and fell, combining with the light to form an astonishingly soft range of colours in the sky.

To make it even more perfect, for most of the time we were the only vehicle around. She could ignore us and focus only on finding a meal.

There was no story that morning.

Just a hungry cheetah vainly in search of a meal.

The images below are in the sequential order of how the morning passed.

Just see how many different options we get as photographers simply because of the changing light, the changing mist and the position you take with respect to the sun.

Let me end with this beautiful quote which sort of captures my memory of this morning :

" What is life ?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night.

It is the breath of a buffalo in winter.

It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and

loses itself in the sunset".

 - Crowfoot of the Siksika First Nation

 Dawn's breaking. The light's still bad...but the skies promise a lot.

The cheetah hadnt hunted for a while and was on the lookout for prey,

which meant she would walk around searching

I do believe that while sunrises and sunsets are spectacularly beautiful, they are also the most shot and easiest to photograph. But, aren't they irresistible ? You might first notice the spectacular profile of the cheetah, but just look at the delightful hues in the sky and the dreamy pattern the clouds make!

A different angle with respect to the sun, a different time than earlier and the colours change. The lady herself ? Unmindful of all beauty around her...her mind is solely on finding a suitable prey

But then the fog returns and the mood changes. A little ghostly, full of intrigue.

Do you see the hazy shape of the cheetah against the sky ?

The sun finally pops out after painting the skies in all colours as a precursor

How about composing the image with the sun at a different angle ?

The lady obliges by posing on a fallen log.

Another log in the foreground provides the necessary balance.

Ah...the fog returns. The distant hills and slopes provide mysterious layers.

The typical, heartstopping magic of an African sunrise is over.

Another day begins.

We left her as we found her. Still searching.

( I loved the subtle silhouette of the tree in the background...see it ?)

Do let me know which of these images resonated most with you.

Cheers !

Ashok