By Ted Grussing
… for a few moments last Friday afternoon, these two predators had their eyes locked on each other and then the larger of them turned his head and resumed his stroll across the grass towards the wild area of brush, trees and tangles. The smaller of the predators took that as a sign of weakness and launched a full blown attack … panic swept across the photographer (me) and after taking this shot of the launch by One, I set out at less than light speed to catch up with what appeared to me to be a looming disaster. As they rounded a bush that obscured my view, One was within a couple of feet of the bobcat and I was thinking a fine dinner of black cat was being served up about then … but no, I was greeted by One as she rounded a bush and headed back towards me. My little buddy who weighs in at about 8 lbs., was totally fluffed out and looking very satisfied and proud of herself! Then she looked up at me and a rather quizzical look appeared on her face; she paused for a moment and I believe the enormity of the event dawned on her and she headed back to the house at full speed, into the house, up on the kitchen table looking out the window, back on the scene of the event and refused to go back outside.
Bobcats and house cats can both attain speeds of about 30 mph in short bursts … the bobcat went over a wall into a neighbors yard. He was not looking for a meal or a territorial fight … for about an hour a day this area is One’s, and for the other (actually all) 24 hours a day it belongs to the bobcat.
I would estimate that the bobcat was about 100’ from me and One was about 80’ … being closer to me she would be appear larger in the image than if she was at the same distance as the bobcat and even so there is a large disparity in size … judge for yourself. I shot this with the Nikon 850D and the 200/500 lens at 300mm, f/5.6 which gave a depth of field of about 12 feet … one did not fall within the area of focus and is blurred. This is the second bobcat that One has gone after … seven lives to go! Minor color adjustment, sharpening and cropping, otherwise as shot. I had done a version where I moved One over to the right a couple of feet to give a more perfect composition, but decided that historical accuracy of the event was more important.
We’re into a new and wonderful week! Have a beautiful day … more YouTube videos on String Theory for me. Brian Greene does an amazing job in explaining the complex so that for a few moments you actually think you understand the concept … until you don’t … maybe.
Cheers … share a smile with those you meet and greet and keep breathing.
Ted
I journeyed from university to university,
and I saw everywhere the past rebuilt before the eyes of young men and young women –
Egypt, Greece, Rome; language, architecture, laws –
saw the earth and sky explained, and the habits of body –
Everywhere chairs of this and that,
largely endowed.
But nowhere saw I a chair of
the human heart.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
More about Ted Grussing …