Happy Days

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Friends,

Something from the archives, I am afraid these days I just cannot find the time to go out there and bring you fresh images. Almost midnight here so a quick edit, let me know your likes and dislikes please.

The title has a special meaning - it refers to those wonderful days when Andre and I used to join our friend Carl Walker for a week-end in the bush. Image taken in April 2015.

Definitely not one of my best images in terms of PP work, but I felt like sharing something tonight.

Nikon D4
Nikon 500 F4
ISO 800
F6.3
1/1250s

Wishing you a lovely week-end,

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, thanks for taking the time to post.

A lovely, fun image to look back on and the posture of the two Cheetahs conveys I feel, they too, can have fun just chilling.

The pano crop works well, was it to emphasis the pose, or in addition, to crop any distracting elements out? I'm just wondering about a tad more below perhaps? Adding a slight Curves adjustment in the light tones (1/4 tones) might just lift the whites a fraction more. Being overcast has helped to retain the detail, but the eye looks a bit bright in the conditions??? Not having the tree in view would have been better, but moving to avoid it would not have given you the better angle as you have for the two Cheetahs.
I hope in the coming months you get the opportunity to hook up with Carl and see these guys again. :cheers:

TFS
Steve

[Marc Mol]

A very cool pose here from this pair Gabriela, with Steve offering some good points, not sure if you had any more viewing room on the LHS?

TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

not sure if you had any more viewing room on the LHS?

Would the crop need to be in 'pro' then Marc, therefore the subjects would be then slightly smaller in frame? :S3:

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hi Gabriela, thanks for taking the time to post.

A lovely, fun image to look back on and the posture of the two Cheetahs conveys I feel, they too, can have fun just chilling.

The pano crop works well, was it to emphasis the pose, or in addition, to crop any distracting elements out? I'm just wondering about a tad more below perhaps? Adding a slight Curves adjustment in the light tones (1/4 tones) might just lift the whites a fraction more. Being overcast has helped to retain the detail, but the eye looks a bit bright in the conditions??? Not having the tree in view would have been better, but moving to avoid it would not have given you the better angle as you have for the two Cheetahs.
I hope in the coming months you get the opportunity to hook up with Carl and see these guys again. :cheers:

TFS
Steve

Good morning Steve,

Thank you so much for viewing and comments.

You were absolutely right, I cropped for both the above reasons. And only from the top and bottom of the frame. A log sticking out in the FG, I chose to crop not clone:)

I shall lift the whites, no problem - I agree they do look dull and grey. Almost flat!

Not sure about the eyes, I like them Steve:2eyes2: They were indeed a tad darker ( how come you always know everything?) but not by much. I will need some convincing here:)

Regarding tree...We were three of us in the vehicle, each one occupied a row of seats. Quite some distance between us so I gather it's only me who got the tree in the frame. I try not to be difficult when I get such opportunities, this was fairly close as you can imagine and Carlie would have had to start the vehicle to move, did not want to spoil the moment. I have more frames from this sighting, in some you will like the tree:)

Saw Carl from time too time and made some plans to get together, but it did not work out for various reasons. Will give him a call today, see if we can work out something. The cheetahs are still around, I am sure.

Have a lovely day, Steve:wave:

Warmest regards,

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Marc,

Appreciate you taking the time to view.

As I said above, no more room on the LHS:)

Will look through this folder and see what else I can share from this sighting, I will be back:w3

Kind regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

They were indeed a tad darker ( how come you always know everything?) but not by much.

I know very little Gabriela, I just look and question and not always right either, but it's good to always ask. I just look at how the conditions are portrayed i.e. overcast, where if any, the light is etc...

[Gabriela Plesea]

But Steve...it was only a tiny tweak:tinysmile_shy_t:

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Gabriela - Good to see you posting something. I like the relaxed poses of the cheetahs. I agree with Steve that the eye looks artificially lightened here. It looks like this particular cheetah has deep set eyes and from the conditions the eye should be darker. The tree doesn't bother me though agree it would be better without it. I also wish for just a sliver more room on each side but understand you don't have it.

TFS,
Rachel

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Rachel,

Glad you like those cheetah boys:)

Will sort out the eye issue asap.

I have lots more from this sighting, just have to make sure the two are not too bright-eyed:w3

Have a great day Rachel,

[haseeb badar]

Hi Gabriela -- Nice to see you posting and agree with the above comments . The tree doesn't bother me either and i too vouch for some more space on both sides but still the crop works and Cheetah is a special animal so Thank you for posting a cheetah image .

[Jonathan Ashton]

Gabriela, I don't have the experience of some of the other contributors so all I can say is the image looks acceptable me. It does look a little flat or (without being unkind) a little dull but I suppose you may have encountered my continual problem, I.e. portray it how it was or make it more visually appealing.
I quite like the crop but would suggest a little looser.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you so much dear Jon,

The more I look at this, the more I see those cheetahs looking dull, colours muted, just not enough pop for my own taste. For now I do forgive myself because I have not processed in some time, hoping I'm just rusty and with some practice I will start seeing things again? You're absolutely spot on with your observations, my friend. Let me see how I can fix this issue, nothing I can do about the lack of space around those two but maybe I can help them come alive in the frame:w3

Really appreciate your constructive criticism and I will try correct the above with an RP at the weekend:tinysmile_shy_t:

Warmest regards,

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gaby, I like the soft light in this, and you have captured really great opposite poses - one alert, and the other completely chilled. Having said that, the laid out poses suits your pano crop, and I like it. I do like the hint of the flies too.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely textures and the details and colors look great. I wouldn't mind a little more room on top...I love the rolling Cheetah in the BG!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Like their relaxed poses and the pano crop here Gabriela.
I am fine with the eye as presented, another option is just to brighten everything else in relation to the cheetahs?

[Mike Hitchen]

This is a lovely behavioural shot, Gabriela and not one you often see with Cheetahs (not in photos anyway).

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Stu, Dumay, Morkel and Mike,

You are all so incredibly kind with your comments and I thank you:)

Dumay, I am so glad you are back! I too have been absent for some time, right now I have a few commitments that keep me from participating every night, nevertheless I do pop in as often as I can. Happy to see your comments and some stunning new images!

Morkel, I will do an RP as I think this images derives a rework, will certainly keep your suggestions in mind Boetie:5

Kind regards,