High up in the branches

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

I actually decided against placing this photo last month as it does not live up to the nice clean shots I've learned to admire on this forum. When the high-key theme came up I thought to myself 'Whell, perhaps there's a place for it after all'. I would have liked the tail to be on this side of the branch and for all the little branches in the front not to be there but this is all chance it gave me before descending and disappearing in the long grassland. Taken in doomy, gloomy, rainy conditions at sunrise.

The usual lighting adjustments in LR and a round of USM in PS.

All C&C's welcome.

Nikon D600
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4 D IF-ED + TCE14 II
f/8 | 1/250s | 640 ISO | Beanbag

[Steen Torner]

Hi Tobie,

Wildlife not often poses as you would like and this is a true example. It is a beautiful cat, however, all the branches are disturbing.

As the many branches are not ideal for a close up photo, you could have considered to include more of the habitat in the picture.

That said, I fully understand why you are glad to have this fine memory.

Regards Steen :S3:

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Tobie - You did well focusing through all the branches. It's often not possible to get a clean shot and the leopards often pick the busier trees because it hides them better than the nice clean dead trees. We drove around pointing at trees and saying which ones would be nice trees in which to find a leopard posing but sadly the leopards did not cooperate. While this is a nice record shot of a leopard sighting, the branch crossing the body and face is too distracting for me. Sorry. There's some blue/cyan coming through on the paws too.

Sadly, in my opinion, like Sanjeev's leopard image, this is also not a high key image fitting this month's theme. The traditional definition of a high key image is a brighter image with the vast majority of the image above a mid-tone grey and low contrast with little shadow. While this has a bright bg, it lacks the other aspects of a high key image.

TFS,
Rachel

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Hi Tobie - You did well focusing through all the branches. It's often not possible to get a clean shot and the leopards often pick the busier trees because it hides them better than the nice clean dead trees. We drove around pointing at trees and saying which ones would be nice trees in which to find a leopard posing but sadly the leopards did not cooperate. While this is a nice record shot of a leopard sighting, the branch crossing the body and face is too distracting for me. Sorry. There's some blue/cyan coming through on the paws too.

Sadly, in my opinion, like Sanjeev's leopard image, this is also not a high key image fitting this month's theme. The traditional definition of a high key image is a brighter image with the vast majority of the image above a mid-tone grey and low contrast with little shadow. While this has a bright bg, it lacks the other aspects of a high key image.

TFS,
Rachel

Thanks for your comment Rachel. I must admit I was unawares of the full definition of 'high key' and I can see that I was not the only one. Maybe it would be a good idea to place a definition of each theme if it's not self explanatory? You're welcome to remove this from under 'Theme'.

[Nancy Bell]

All leopards are cool to see! This is a good example of the tree camouflage technique that Rachel mentions. I often wonder how many animals see me and I don't see them because they are doing what they do best, staying safe. Great memory image for the reasons above.
PS. I do not yet have such a "memory image" in my collection!

[Marc Mol]

HK or not Tobie, this is a leopard doing it's thing.........which is where/how we find them 75% of the time.:bg3:

TFS

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

All leopards are cool to see! This is a good example of the tree camouflage technique that Rachel mentions. I often wonder how many animals see me and I don't see them because they are doing what they do best, staying safe. Great memory image for the reasons above.
PS. I do not yet have such a "memory image" in my collection!
Thanks for looking & commenting Nancy! The leopard had been my nemesis for the last 40 years since I bought my first film camera. Never saw one in the wild until Nov when I went of to the Kruger Park for a few days to celebrate my birthday. We then saw the big 5 twice in 2 days in totally different areas - what a great birthday gift! This was my 2nd leopard seen and it now has a special place on my wall at home! :bg3:

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Tobie,

This must have been your birthday present:w3, albeit wrapped in too many branches and I do know the feeling! On Xmas day we were lucky to spend a couple of hours with a leopard, myself and my companions in the rain just like you, subject "high up in the branches", curled up to great comfort and with no concern for us photographers...Tobie, thanks for sharing and I know this is such a special sighting for you, I just want to wish you happy 2015 and hope your next leopard is standing on an ant hill looking straight into your lens!

Kind regards,

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Hello Tobie,

This must have been your birthday present:w3, albeit wrapped in too many branches and I do know the feeling! On Xmas day we were lucky to spend a couple of hours with a leopard, myself and my companions in the rain just like you, subject "high up in the branches", curled up to great comfort and with no concern for us photographers...Tobie, thanks for sharing and I know this is such a special sighting for you, I just want to wish you happy 2015 and hope your next leopard is standing on an ant hill looking straight into your lens!

Kind regards,
Thanks Gabriela - I could not ask for a better wish upon myself for this year! :bg3:

Nice 2015 to you too - may your 2015 album be filled with great pics of all kinds of big cats! :S3:

[Dumay de Boulle]

Congrats on your first Leopard images and sightings Tobie and TFS!