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Cheetah’s on the Lookout by Bashar Alaeddin

Captured during a four-week volunteer safari in South Africa, this striking image features two male cheetahs on a cold, overcast day. The photographer utilized a 500mm lens to isolate one of the predators as it scanned the horizon for prey, completely unfazed by the presence of the nearby safari vehicle. This moment of quiet intensity highlights the raw, untamed nature of the wild. The photograph is award-worthy for its intimate perspective and the photographer's ability to capture the cheetah’s focused, stoic gaze, effectively conveying the tension and patience inherent in the life of an apex predator.

Cheetah’s on the Lookout by Bashar Alaeddin
Canon EOS 7D with Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM
Exposure 1/50sec @ f/8 | ISO 1280 | Focal Length 500mm
Copyright Β© Bashar Alaeddin
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Bashar Alaeddin

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Kuwait City and raised between Jordan and Lebanon, Bashar Alaeddin has cultivated over nine years of professional experience in digital photography. After beginning his journey with a simple 2-megapixel camera, he founded a dedicated photography and video studio in Amman, Jordan. His diverse portfolio balances commercial work in food and interior photography with a deep passion for capturing the landscapes and night skies of the Middle East, often blending his expertise as an amateur astronomer with his artistic vision to showcase the beauty of the Arabian wilderness.

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13.5/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
315/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
20,189 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date October 31, 2011
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 15.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
South Africa

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Bashar Alaeddin Photography
Best of Nature Photography
Wildlife Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (13.2/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,815/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
20,189/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
3.2/5 points
315/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 13.2/20
Total Award Score: 77.2/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The flat, directionless light of that overcast day strips away the distraction of shadow, leaving only the raw, stoic gaze of the predator. He stood there in the cooling air, waiting for the cheetah to reveal its internal stillness. I’ve felt that same heavy silence in the field, where time seems to fold in on itself. It’s a quiet, haunting portrait. Looking at those eyes, I find myself holding my own breath, waiting for the hunt.
Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
The overcast sky doesn't merely provide light; it flattens the world into a grey, existential waiting room. These cheetahs aren't just hunting; they’re suspended in the heavy, silent duration that Tarkovsky obsessed over. I find myself shivering, not from the cold, but from the terrifying indifference in those eyes. The shadows here aren't hiding anythingβ€”they’re demanding we acknowledge the predator’s absolute sovereignty. It’s a brutal, quiet confrontation with the void that I can’t easily shake.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Of the thousands of wildlife frames I’ve reviewed, most are just snapshots of fur. What separates this from the pack is the cheetah’s gaze; it isn’t looking at the camera, but through the horizon. I’ve stared at this for ten minutes, and I still feel that cold, biting wind on my own skin. It’s the stillness that makes it endure. It doesn’t just document a predator; it captures the heavy, silent weight of waiting.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
Four weeks in the field is a decent start, though one wonders if the cheetahs grew bored of the vehicle before the photographer found his nerve. At 500mm, it’s easy to hide, but that gaze is sharp enough to cut glass. I’ve spent enough mornings shivering in the tall grass to know that focus doesn't come cheap. It’s a cold, honest frame. I find myself wishing I’d been the one behind the glass that day.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The muted, slate-grey atmosphere of the South African veld, reminiscent of a Morandi still life, creates a sublime, melancholic stage for the cheetah’s tawny coat, which glows with the warmth of dried wheat against a winter sky. It’s a haunting, monochromatic symphony that I find utterly breathtaking; the way those ochre pigments pierce the damp, silver-blue haze makes my heart ache, grounding the predator’s fierce, golden gaze in a world of quiet, shivering light.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The frame’s geometry is compromised by the cheetah’s placement. It’s too centered, lacking the necessary spatial tension to anchor the gaze. The overcast sky provides a flat, unyielding backdrop that flattens the picture plane, yet the predator’s profile holds a sharp, clinical focus. I’ve grown tired of such predictable framing, but the sheer, cold precision of the animal’s stare demands attention. It doesn't offer warmth, and frankly, it doesn't need to. The structure remains barely sufficient.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Clara Menezes

The Architecture of Patience

To wait is to become a part of the landscape. We are taught that time is a river, something that must be navigated or conquered, but there are creatures who understand that time is actually a root.

Read the reflection →
By Priya Kapoor

The Hum of Stillness

The air before a storm has a specific weight, a metallic tang that settles on the back of the tongue like a copper coin. It is a dry, electric stillness that makes the fine hairs on my arms stand upright, sensing a shift before the sky even darkens.

Read the reflection →

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