Chilled-out Leopard

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Here is another portrait of a leopard relaxing on a log of wood at Okavango, Bots. He was so cool with our presence that it gave me a chance to try out different things (lens-cam combo, various parameters incl SS, F-stop etc) I liked this frame a lot due the eye contact I got and the tight framing with 'clean' surroundings. Reduced blues and magentas in PP.
5D III
700MM
1/320
F/5.6
ISO 1600

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Sanjeev, oh so lucky with your Leopards, great pose & eye contact.

Personally I would have preferred a more 'looser' frame, shot just with the 500, the image would be fractionally better regarding the IQ, but ultimately, you would have had that front paw in frame, that then for me, would have been a killer image. Being so close you also I feel, needed more DoF say f/8+, therefore ISO around 3200, and not an issue for this camera. I do like the offset position, although I might still tweak the colour based on the branch, but that's my personal choice, (I think you could go even more with reducing the Blue, say -75, in doing so the branch becomes more neutral and you can slight darken the exposure with a selective layer, brings some more detail out too). Lucky with the BKG, I do like the richness & saturated colours here, illustrates Bots nicely.

Well done. :cheers:

TFS
Steve

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Thanks Steve:cheers:well, I did not try the shot with out the 1.4 TC as I was also shooting simultaneously with the 100-400 II on the 7D II but no doubt the 5DIII IQ is better as it was worth doing so in hindsight.

[Steve Kaluski]

Certainly the 5D would be better, but in the heat of the moment...

Sanjeev it's always easier from a comfy chair to say 'if only'... just remember it for next time, especially when you have the time and with two camera bodies... :S3:

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Sanjeev i would call this right in the face !!! Love it !!
I have to agree with Mr K´s observations ....... also right in the face :wave:, again a bit spooky LOL.

You have been really lucky and you came back with some really nice stuff from your trip , Sanjeev :5.

Nice work , TFS Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Sanjeev - Another nice leopard image. I also have to agree with Steve's comments. It would be worth it to make the adjustments you can (e.g. color) to take this one up a notch.

TFS,
Rachel

[haseeb badar]

Hi Sanjeev ! Thrilling Portrait ! loved the eye-contact and colours . I too would have loved to see that front paw coming out full in the frame. TFS !

[Gabriela Plesea]

What an awesome leopard, Sanjeev!!!!

"In your face" indeed, sharp, some nice IQ and good detail too, a few droplets of water on those lovely long whiskers, hmm...just to make me green with envy...so congrats my friend! I am really happy for you, cannot count all the species you have encountered on this trip and all those amazing opportunities.

This young leopard is so beautiful and its features so perfect, I am sure you agree your subject needs not much "cosmetic surgery", other than reducing the blues by a tad:) Agree the crop is a bit tight but I am loving this close-up, wonderful work Sanjeev and I cannot wait to see what's next, what an array of beautiful images and I congratulate you for your work out there in the field - just wonderful!

Kind regards,

[Morkel Erasmus]

This one leaped out at me, Sanjeev!
I take note of the desire expressed by others to see it without the TC, but I quite like how in-your-face the cat's face is.
Cracking IQ and sharpness...