The Ultimate Photo Opportunity

In my mind, no other photo opportunity could possibly be better than my recent meeting with three of the most beautiful and magestic big cats in the animal kingdom. Robi, Tanzi and Shasa...three of the cheetahs kept at the National Zoo & Aquarium near Canberra in the ACT. With the opportunity to spend a very short yet memorable 15 minutes in the enclosure with them, I decided that there was no better way to get some fantastic shots without anything obscuring the images. My thanks go to keepers Chris and Bec for making this possible, and especially to Bec for taking control of my camera to photograph me with the cheetahs (I had to prove I was there!!). My Canon EOS 400D went into the enclosure with me, along with the attached 75-300mm IS lens. Therefore I was able to get some up close portrait shots without anything like trees or fencing wire obscuring my image.

Below: Robi is the only male cheetah kept at the zoo.

Below: Shasa is one of the female cheetahs kept at the zoo.

Below: Robi (front) and Tanzi (back). Tanzi is another female at the zoo.

Below: I'm stroking Shasa (don't worry, she's only sleeping!!).

Below: Robi being patted by yours truly.