Leopard Cub in Dappled Light

[Loi Nguyen]

We had the fortune of seeing two 15-month-old leopard cubs paying on tree while waiting for Mom. This one in particular came up and down the tree a couple of times giving us good photographic opportunities.

1DX
100-400 II @ 220mm
1/1000
f8
ISO-1250
HH

About 405 of FF. I wanted to make sure I didn't clip the tail. Could have shot at 400mm.

Thank you for your comments.

Loi

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Loi - great pose coming down the branch and really nice eye contact too. I do feel like the large crop has affected IQ and detail slightly. It just doesn't look as good as most of your more recent postings. If it were mine I would burn the branches in the upper left a bit. Looks like you had a good trip.

TFS,
Rachel

[haseeb badar]

Hi Loi ! Lovely pose and eye contact , but the branch in the front is a bit distracting !! TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Loi, I like the slightly wider POV and you have a nice amount of space for the Leopard to walk down/into. I wondered when I first looked at the image what it would have looked like if you were more left and in the line of approach, but then you wouldn't perhaps have had such a nice profile and that balancing tail. The diagonal of the tree gives a strong line within the frame which I like too. With such a lens, I agree with your own observation, shooting tighter would have given you a better IQ, one of the beauties of the 200-400 and the drop in 1.4, the 1.4 outstrips the conventional one big time. Again for me, more SS I feel, I guess this is all stemming from recent stuff I've ben doing. :S3:

Overall I like the light, comp & colours, blacks on the tail look a bit thin, do I detect a hint of Detail Extract being used?

Keep them coming Loi.

TFS
Steve

[Loi Nguyen]

"Overall I like the light, comp & colours, blacks on the tail look a bit thin, do I detect a hint of Detail Extract being used?"

Hi Steve, no Detail Extract, but I used Curves to lift the shadow and the BG a little bit. Will look again later if I can back off. You are right, I could have shot this at ISO-1600. Have other frames of the leopard from a different perspective and will take my time to work thru those images. Like to 'save the best for last" as they say :)

Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Loi, when you have time, take shots of the 'woof woof' between 1600 - 6400 ISO, I myself have been guilty of keeping things low, but I think you will be surprised.


Like to 'save the best for last" as they say

Oh, you like to tease, shocking. :t3

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Loi

You had some excellent sightings on your Safari! Love the cat coming down the tree:bg3:
IMHO would crop a tad of bottom, but the trunk and branch in ULC is somewhat distracting, had something different in mind..
I see where you are coming from with the crop to include the tail...
Tried a RP, sloppy PP work, 5min edit, just to slow what I had in mind...
WDYT?

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Andre, thank you for trying a different crop. I think it is difficult to remove the branches cleanly. So I opted to leave the image as is. I will look for other images with perhaps less distracting elements, but as you know the branches are just part of the environment. I'm Ok with them. Loi

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice sighting Loi, have to agree with what's already been mentioned - not up there with your recent posts.
The cluttered tree also did not help.
How are you finding the new 100-400?

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Loi,

very nice sighting of this one coming down the tree. I personally would give a bit more room to the leopard, but this is again a taste thing of course.
Nothing to add here processing wise, all is said above.

Ciao Anette