Big Cats of the Savanna
Cheetah and leopard — speed and stealth through the lens of Ron Bensimon.
The Fastest Frame
Photographing a cheetah at full sprint is the hardest technical shot on safari. Ron Bensimon pre-focuses on the line the cat is likely to take and shoots at speeds above 1/3200s to freeze the moment all four feet leave the ground. Most attempts fail; the one that succeeds justifies the week.
Finding the Phantom
Leopards are the opposite discipline — not speed but stillness. They drape themselves over high branches in the midday heat, perfectly patterned against the bark. Finding one is a tracker's art; photographing one is an exercise in exposure, holding detail in deep shadow and bright sky at once.
Two Cats, One Lesson
Between the cheetah's explosiveness and the leopard's patience lies everything wildlife photography teaches: know the animal first, and the camera settings follow. These photographs are part of Ron Bensimon's ongoing personal safari archive.