Leopard on the hunt

[Steve Kaluski]

I guess like Rachel, my encounters of this female Leopard was very enjoyable, albeit a different one. This female was on the search for her male partner and allowed us to spend a few hours with her as she calmly tracked him down.

Would like to have had more space to the left, but the way the shot was set-up meant I had to gauge things and take my chances. I retained the green vegetation, as without it, the space looked odd. There is a slight 'light' stroke in the BKG, no idea what it is as it's in the RAW? :Whoa!: No dug out on this one, just a bit of crafty planning, although I do envy Morkel and his hide. :bg3:

I think you will recognise this rachel from the printed version. :tinysmile_shy_t:

Steve
Subject: Female Leopard tracking down her partner, low profile (Panthera pardus)
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4 plus 1.4
Exposure: 1/800s at f/5.6 ISO400 +1 stop compensation

[peter delaney]

Hi Steve

Lovely image of leopard... great angle , if it was mine. I would crop/clone/remove area of green on RHS ,it definitely detracts from subject.

I would also remove the small amount of , blues,cyan and green from leopard and remove a very small amount of yellow(-15)/red(-10) from the white areas on coat .


Great image

Peter

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - yes, I do recognize this one and still love the detail, the low pov, and the raised foot. I'm not on my calibrated monitor right now so I won't comment on color. I do however see a very faint smudge in the ulc that even I would clone out :S3:.

TFS,
Rachel

[Nancy Bell]

Wonderfully dramatic POV. Many times in my mind I have created my perfect safari vehicle with holes cut out of the sides and instead of seats a layer of foam on the floor to stretch out on! If you do not wish to remove the green on the right side, maybe desaturate it so it does not present much color to attract your eye. Also to increase space on the left side you could add just a bit more canvas. Since you would only be adding featureless sky and blurred grasses it should not be too hard to do this, if you are inclined.

[Jamie Douglas]

Love the level of detail in this Steve and I recognize this as well. The tone of the sky looks good together with the inclusion of the oof vegetation.

As for colour, I can see a slight blue cast creeping in the white fur on the front leg but it didn't strike me until I had read the comments.

:5

Jamie

[Tom Graham]

I'm not seeing any color problems/corrections.
Would like to see more canvass on left.
Tom

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Steve,

this one greets me every morning this month when I get me coffee. I examine every single one, hop not with a magnifier glass, just kidding :bg3:
Well, color wise. I do not see here anything I would remove on color. But this is just me!!!!

Love the image though :w3

Ciao
Anette

[Gabriela Plesea]

Superb image Steve, great angle of view, love the detail on the leopard's fur, the concentration, facial expression, everything!

Warmest regards,

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, good low perspective, different from the norm, so it works for me. I do like the semi raised foot, and although you have mentioned you wanted to keep the green in the BG, I would have blended it away if this were mine - most of the leopard is against a high key BG. :w3

[christopher galeski]

nice capture Steve,like the look on the Leopard face and the very low angle,for me I would like a bit more room on the left,and I would remove the green veg on right.well done.

[Steve Kaluski]

OK folks, a revised image for you. :S3:

Peter I did a revise of the whole file then tweaked the two in parts to give control.

Just to clarify my original intro, when the shot was taken I was not behind the camera and had to second guess, hence the slight tightness to the LHS. It's not difficult how the shot was done, you just need to plan, think and have a bit of luck. Think it might be easier now with the 1DX, just need more practice under my belt, but would prefer the MKIV as the suicide camera. :Whoa!:

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I am going to go against what is the likely grain here and say that I prefer the op. For me, there is a harshness to the rp.

Rachel

[hirandesilva]

The OOF branches being taken out makes the leopard stand out better in the simple BG. Not exactly sure of the color of leopard in Botswana but the color in the repost seems more natural. The angle of the picture is great from a 500mm + 1.4.

Hiran

[Morkel Erasmus]

A real cracker, Steve!! :5
Prefer the OP. When you say you weren't behind the camera...what was the setup? Were you holding it down the side of the vehicle? Or was it set up elsewhere and you tripped the shutter via remote?

[Brendon Cremer]

Great image Steve, i have to say i agree with some of the above here, i too prefer the OP. Not the most fantastic BG with the lack of colour but the low angle and the nice posture of the leopard make it a keeper for sure.

[Girish Prahalad]

superb portrait! lovely low angle & pose. i too prefer the OP as the OOF green gives a slight indication of the suroundings.

[Diane Miller]

Both are just incredible!! I absolutely love the ground-level pictures we've seen here lately! I'd guess the camera must have been planted on the ground and triggered remotely. Awesome capture! I lean toward the repost.

I have heard about wireless devices so you can see your Live View on an iPad. That would be great for something like this.

[edwardselfe]

This is great - leopards are small cats so it's very unusual to be able to get below them and give such a perspective. My eye is continually drawn to the notches in the ears, and then I realise that certainly on the left ear , it's a blown highlight. I might adjust that slightly. Very nice though.
Ed

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks folks. :wave:

Ed, both have notches and the white has blended a tad with the BKG, not blown, see the OP. :w3

[Shreyas Mantri]

Am late to the band, but a very nice pose and POV here :cheers:.

Can't do much about the bright sky as the background, but the green spot on the right (of the OP) was a bit distracting and which's gone in your RP. I however like the colors of the OP. Wondering how this would fair in monochrome, if you at all tried!?

TFS

[Martin Dunn]

lovely shot of a beautiful cat Steve.
Not much to add to what has been said already except that I prefer the repost. I could not seen the benefit of keeping in the green smudge on the right.