Leopard

[Rachel Hollander]

Another leopard in habitat image. This one is again of the very cooperative Vomba Young Male when he paused on his early morning patrol. Taken on our 2014 trip to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa.

Canon 7D
300 II
1/1000
f5.6
ISO 800
Beanbag from safari vehicle, shot vertical, small crop from top, full width, levels, curves, sharpened in CCPS.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Rachel

Love the light and the Mopane leaves changing colour, it enhances the early morning warm light.
Comp with vertical crop works for me.
The eye contact is a bonus.
Wish to OOF sticks in FG wasn't there....

[Gabriela Plesea]

I am loving this, Rachel:cheers:

Great techs, well exposed and processed, love the framing and environment included. The light is beautiful. So is the leopard, seems as if he stopped for a moment to allow the branches to caress its back - did he linger at this spot for a while?

Superb image Rachel, or shall I say "golden". Glorious colours and the handsome Vomba male looking into your lens, it all works for me so well, so thought provoking... I wonder what it felt like, you being there and able to capture this, away from the big city and into the African bush, what went through your mind at the time...Can you still recall the rustle of the Mopani leaves?

A real pleasure, viewing this frame - I thank you so much for sharing:S3:

Warmest regards,

[haseeb badar]

Hi Rachel -- You have some great Leopard images ! This is another lovely image . I just loved the look he is giving you , lovely warm colours and leaves are added attraction here. I too find that twigs in the FG somewhat distracting but it was there and still you have managed a lovely image .

TFS !

[Rachel Hollander]

Thank you Andre, Gabriela and Haseeb, much appreciated. Gabriela, this was taken as we were playing leap frog with him to get out ahead as he walked down the road towards us. Here he stopped for just a moment at the mopane next to the road to take a look and probably also to both spread his scent and see if anyone else had done the same. He did not yet have his own territory and was in his father's territory who sometimes tolerated him and sometimes not.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, nice encounter and I like the framing, techs are good as I think they were set up for tracking as he walked towards us.

Look quite rich in the warmth????

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Steve. I have several from that time frame that all look warm sooc. I actually lowered the WB from 4850 to 4600 at time of conversion.

[Steve Kaluski]

Actually I just processed another yesterday will email, light looks more 'brighter' less saturated????

[Marc Mol]

Lovely light here Rachel with good eye contact, wish the road hadn't come into play, but felt you made this best of your composition.

FG sticks are fine with me.

TFS

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Rachel, I really like the light and IQ in this, and great eye contact from the Leopard. I like your choice of comp, and glad that you managed to capture him in the open.

Still processing images from that trip? :w3 Its nearly time for your next one.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Marc and Stu. Stu - It never hurts to go back and look. Sometimes something catches your eye or is theme appropriate.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice light and pose here Rachel.
The vertical format works, I'd try and crop a tad closer from all around as well though?
I like the colours/light as presented.