On lookout

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks for the previous comments & feedback.

Taking a leaf from Steve C's recent intro, I too thought it was about time I posted again.

The amount of Leopards we found was just simply amazing this trip, this was another female we tracker for about half an hour, as she scent marked and patrolled the area looking for traces of her mate. As she made a bid up along the ridge we move the jeep around still keeping an eye on her movements as she moved through the bush to a point where she could look out and was then, just above us.

A few of you have seen a much larger version of this, since then I have applied a slight Tonal contrast to the chest with a 30% Opacity mask, just to punch it a fraction more. One small branch removed in the BKG.

Steve
Subject: Leopard on lookout for mate (Panthera pardus)
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/400s at f/5.6 ISO400 0 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop (original capture vertical)
Subject distance: 21m

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - you know I really like this one. There's a feeling of strength and superiority coming from the leopard. You handled the bright bg well:S3:. Additional contrast looks good. I'm wondering if a slight amount of ccw rotation is in order?

TFS and it is nice to see you posting,
Rachel

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Great shot of an awesome and imposing animal Steve. I am likely to plan a trip to Botswana next year (After my Tz & Kenya trip, I'm bitten by the Africa Bug!) Will take your help as to which places to visit and how to plan Botswana!
Cheers
Sanjeev

[Jamie Douglas]

Great composition Steve and awesome processing work as usual, especially on the BG.

Jamie

[Steve Kaluski]

I'm wondering if a slight amount of ccw rotation is in order?

What would you recommend? :S3:

[Rachel Hollander]

Here it is with -2.2 degrees. I used the ruler tool at the eyes. WDYT?

[Steve Kaluski]

Looks good to me, thanks. :cheers: Good to have a younger pair of eyes look at things.

[Rachel Hollander]

It's nice to be able to turn the tables and help you once in a while.:wave:

[Steve Kaluski]

It's nice to be able to turn the tables and help you once in a while.

It's a nice feeling being on the 'other' side of the fence.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Such a great image. I love that the cast is in the "greens" yet plenty visible

[Steve Canuel]

Really like the soft light and great clarity of this shot. Nice job on the BG highlights, almost makes it look like it was shot with a studio backdrop. Also like the off center gaze looking at something else besides you.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Lovely light, colour and detail here Steve. Love that pink nose!
Sounds like a great morning's leopard tracking! :5
Rachel made a good call on the rotation, though I might have gone with slightly less (1.8 to 2.0), all personal taste I guess.
:tinysmile_shy_t:

[Marina Scarr]

Absolutely awesome portrait, and I love the inclusion of all of the habitat.

[Anette Mossbacher]

:bg3: wonderful image Steve :))

Had to look twice with glasses & without glasseson my nose to see the - 2.2 degrees from Rachel :bg3:
Yep, not getting younger :w3

[Hilary Hann]

Lovely leopard portrait and beautifully presented as usual.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Steve, beautiful image and animal. Rachels rotation suggestion and repost works best for me. Love it!

[Dumay de Boulle]

I like this one as the pose and the stance are excellent and the original Angle works fine for me.., I have not seen any captured in this position. Colors look pretty good. The only thing that bugs me is the IQ...I am always blown away by your IQ and fine detail but this one is lacking not sure why...I see no one else has mentioned it so maybe I am off the mark.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Dumay, thanks for swinging by, good to see you back on here again.

Andreas raise a point with me regarding the whiskers, however this time round we put it down to compression. If I can, I'll fire a larger version to you. :S3:

Steve

[Harshad Barve]

Lovely leopard portrait
TFS