Carnivore!

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

The Hyena falls in the near threatened category in the IUCN red list. So posting one for a change from the big cats I have been posting. A bit gory frame, but thats what these carnivores thrive on. You can see this one feasting on the vertebral column/spine of probably a wildebeest.
7D II
500 II
1/2500
f/7.1
ISO 800

[dankearl]

I think this is just gratuitous....
I wide view of a kill is far more effective for me if you really just want to show gore...

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Sanjeev ... i like this one !!!
Even if looking a bit awkward it works for me , the tightness makes this work for me .
Well handled lighting and that jaw is gorgeous !!!!
I might try to create a bit more glow in those eyes ....:w3, lovely detail in the fur .

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Sanjeev, I to like this and the rather 'isolated' POV focusing on just one element. The light looks a bit harsh, but that might be the laptop, if however I'm right then I might try to ease/soften the HL's. You don't say, but if this is almost FF then I think perhaps a tad more DoF to get the chin 'in' it looks a fraction off, remember the closer you are, the more DoF required. The spine looks in between the eyes and the chin with regard to DoF, so I would also look to getting some detail out of that too and perhaps a bit more sharpening, WDYT?

TFS
Steve

[Steve Kaluski]

Actually Sanjeev, I've just looked and I think if you just apply some more 'localised' sharpening you should be good on the chin and front lower teeth.

[Glenn Pure]

I think this works very well, Sanjeev. You've handled the harsh lighting nicely and the IQ looks excellent - as it does with your work generally: fur detail is really wonderful. The background also works well for me contrasting nicely with the colours of the hyena. The tight framing and composition also work for me. Thanks for sharing and happy to seem more hyenas, which I didn't realise where in the near threatened category.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Sanjeev - I also didn't realize they were in the Near Threatened category. I think this works with the cocked head, open mouth and just a portion of the prey showing. It does look like the light was a bit harsh and that you were off sun angle but you handled it well. If it were mine I might give the midtones on the neck and top of the head a slight boost.

TFS,
Rachel

[Jonathan Ashton]

Great shot from my point of view the lower incisors are just a little lacking in sharpness.... (bet the molars weren't!!)

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Sanjeev,

This is one wonderful capture and to me not gory at all, just a happy Spotty enjoying her meal - I guess I am just so used to seeing these things?

Superb composition and I cannot think of a better way - or a better angle - to show this predator at its best. Love the way the subject enters the frame, it just works so well.

I take it the light was quite harsh. And I agree with everyone above, you handled it so well. Super techs by the way.

Having read the above comments and suggestions from everyone, I tried an RP with intention to emphasise certain facial features of the subject ( nose, eyes, etc) and soften the HL a bit. Not sure I did a good job and surely easier for you starting afresh with the RAW image. I used curves here and selective colour in PSCC, tried to get more detail from the nose but when I got to the eyes I found it quite a challenge to add more sparkle. Hope you don't mind me borrowing your image, having missed my second Kalahari break for the year due to work commitments I am now really struggling to find something new to process. So I took some pleasure in playing with your image, how naughty of me:tinysmile_shy_t:

Hope you have a lovely week-end, and thank you so much for sharing!

[Marc Mol]

An interesting angle and crop here Sanjeev and like the reduced HL's in Gabriela's RP.


Sanjeev

* The (current) ICUN Red list has the Spotted Hyena (which is your image), down as (LC) Least Concern, not (NT) Near Threatened, which was always my understanding,

however the Brown Hyena & the Striped Hyena are in the NT category.

Just an FYI :w3

[haseeb badar]

Hi Sanjeev -- very late on this , but what an image ! Excellent details and sharpness , Gabriela's RP also looks good . The thing i liked is that you have gone tight and focused on the thing that it does the best. Very nicely done .

TFS !