Face to Face

[Rachel Hollander]

Another leopard shot, but a bit of an experiment for Gabriela, from my archives though I just processed it. This is the Kwela Kwela female leopard taken on our 2014 trip in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. As you may recall, we were fortunate to spend the better part of a morning in a drainage ditch with her and her then 7 month old cub.

Canon 5D3
300 II plus 2x III
1/320
f5.6
ISO 1600
Monopod from safari vehicle, pretty substantial crop to about 50% of ff, shot horizontal but tight top and bottom, levels, curves, color adjustments, sculpted a bit with selective burning and dodging and sharpening in PSCC.

I wish I had a bit more dof but hindsight is 20/20 and she really liked the shade so probably if I had gone higher with the ISO in the field I would have opted for more ss at the time.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[keith mitchell]

Rachel the detail in the fur and texture look beautiful, but the eyes are something else even showing the blemish in it's right eye,look hard but there is nothing I would change,pleasure to view.

Keith.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, nice full on face, all symmetrical and a cool encounter, but sadly neither Mum or the cub were ever seen again.

I would like to see more tone & form so you create more 'depth' in the face and to bring out more detail/life from those eyes too. Agree that more DoF is required, more lens to avoid IQ loss and at 1/320, SS is too low as you mentioned. Curious that the white whiskers are OOF but yet set between nose and eyes where I would have thought they would be a fraction more 'in focus'? Square crop works.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Keith and Steve. The whiskers probably have to do with the fact that I applied no sharpening to them instead using the sharpening mask to help sculpt the eyes and nose as the area I want the viewer to concentrate on. I may even have used a little negative clarity with the radial filter in ACR on the area outside the eyes and nose.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

I applied no sharpening to them instead using the sharpening mask to help sculpt the eyes and nose as the area I want the viewer to concentrate on

i feel it needs to be done tonally with light, mid & dark tonal regions so you build the face, sharpening isn't the right route IMHO.

[Rachel Hollander]

Sharpening was in addition to sculpting with selective burning and dodging of different tones as stated in op.:S3: I just felt that when the whiskers were sharp, they drew the eye too much.

[Steve Kaluski]

The whiskers aren't the issue I feel Rachel, I'm referring to how the light falls and where by using i.e. Channel Curves/Levels/HSL etc with layers & masks you can create more structure and provide greater depth. Burning, dodging isn't really the best way to do things, but if you feel it works fine.

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Rachel.

My first thought on opening this image: everything that is important is in sharp focus, the rest not.
The eye runs up and down and eventually settle on the (as viewed) left eye.
After reading Steve's comments, I can see what he means..but this is once again the same issue-
who is your audience.. in focus whiskers would please the master critiques, but not draw the crowds...
As a BIG print on a billboard this would certainly be a crowd stopper.
I am not a sculptor, unfortunately- try to build some clay oxen as a youngster on the farm- looked like hyenas with rabbit ears...
May I humbly request that you send Steve the Raw, if he has got the time to do a RP, to give his version.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Andre. This is far from the RAW because of my artistic jaunt here. I can send Steve the TIFF if he wants to play but having the RAW won't help.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

It was just a thought nothing more guys, but at present I won't have the time until perhaps this time next week, so I may miss the boat?

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dearest Rachel,

As soon as I saw this image I thought to myself: "This looks like Steve's avatar!" I like this frame very much and I absolutely love to see you experimenting, it is great fun and so exciting to play:)

Regarding subject: those eyes are magnificent and I am drawn to them instantly. Beautiful muzzle and that pink nose oh so lovely. Has anyone noticed the tick, I am sure Anette would:) Beautiful expression from the leopard, very "in your face" and I love getting close, so this is indeed "my cuppa"!

On the image itself: I somehow managed so far not to read the comments above although I am so tempted. My thoughts right now: I really like the DOF because it helps put emphasis on the eyes and muzzle. The comp works for me, maybe an illusion but it seems the leopard's face is not right in the centre which is what I would expect from a square crop? So I am a bit tempted to take off a tad from the LHS. Sharpness is there where needed, in very good measure, lovely detail. I tried another version with a tad more punch, roughly done as I am rushing about a little tonight so forgive me for being brief, my friend. Let me know what you think?
Hope you have a super evening, and kindly delight us with more from your folders please, it seems there are plenty images we have not seen yet! Enjoyed this a lot, thank you so much for sharing:cheers:

Warmest regards,

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Gabriela, I think what you are seeing on the unevenness is that her head was very slightly angled. As to the changes I feel like you have made her look more sinister. I went for a softer look because when we saw her she was a loving and caring mom. I suppose it is a matter of mood.

[keith mitchell]

Rachel have enjoyed all the comments and suggestions above and hope I have gained a bit from them.

Thanks Keith.

[Rachel Hollander]

Keith - Thanks. After posting this and during an exchange with Steve, I used a dof calculator to calculate that the dof was 1 cm using the equipment and settings based upon an estimate that we were about 10 feet from the leopard. I also calculated that to get a 5 cm dof which would have been necessary to have the tip of the nose through behind the eyes sharp, I would have needed to shoot at f20. Given that we were in the drainage ditch in shade, I can't imagine the ISO and ss necessary for that.

I'll just need to find a leopard in better light on my trip this year.:S3:

[haseeb badar]

Hi Rachel -- Had a good look to this image and then went through all the comments on the same , i felt the dof you chose was perfect considering it draws the viewer towards the leopard , nice soft colours and sharpness looks spot on , I also liked Gabriela's RP with a little more punch to it , but all in all this works for me .

Initially i also felt it is the same leopard from Steve's Avatar .

TFS !

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice frame-filler here Rachel.
I get what Steve is going for - I initially felt it needs more tonal punch, even something like "pro contrast" or "tonal contrast" in Nik Color Efex should do nicely?