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Leopard cub @ Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Date: August 2018
Location: Sabi-Sand Game Reserve - Great Kruger
Country: South Africa
Photographer: Laura Gargiulo
Camera: Sony A7 (ILCE-7)
Lens: Sony FE 140-560mm F6.3-8.0 OSS (100-400mm + teleconverter 1.4x)
Camera setting: manual
Lens focus setting: manual
Shutter speed: 1/400
Focal length: 552mm
ISO: 2000
Aperture setting: f/8
The story behind the photo:
Sabi Sand Game Reserve is likely to be one of the best places in the World for wildlife safari. It shares an unfenced bounduary with west side of Kruger National Park and, thanks to its biodiversity and unmatchable density of "big-games", it is an outstanding eden for wildlife lovers and photographers.
That late afternoon, at the first exit on safari in Sabi Sand, we came accross this wondeful leopard cub. She came out from a bush along a ridge, while we stood still, trying to spot a good sigth point to take a photo to her mother. Sauntering into the dry river bed where we are she came to us curious.
We spent such a long time in an amazing trepidation, enraptureb by such exciting beauty. We assisted a funny theater with her, her mother and with a genet castled on their acacia tree. She was eager to show her power of future big cat, despite her few months age. It has been emotional and very droll.
To take this memorable photo, fully in manual setting (camera and lens focus) has been a true challenge as she was hidden by the trees while attracted by the genet.
Keeping the breath, with the foliage generating a wondeful frame and while a sunny ray spotlighted her cute glance, here that was the perfect timing to shot the photo!
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