Tiger at last!

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi All,
Finally, I managed to get out of my work schedule to get some tigers in the amazing Bandhavgarh NP, India. It was a delight to meet up with Haseeb again and we did some safaris there. To our good luck, we did get some decent sightings. Here is one that I had always wanted to see and photograph. This was in Magdhi area. This is Dotty's cub, they had made a kill and here he was quenching his thirst. We were the only vehicle when this happened in the evening. Many thanks to Haseeb for everything!
1DX II
500mm
1/1600
f/9
ISO 3200

[John Mack]

Nice view of this tiger and a nice setting. My first thought was this would make a nice vertical with the reflection. But you would loose the tail. I see you are at f/9 do you need that much depth of field here?

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Sanjeev, this is awesome, to get a Tiger drinking is cool, but head on like this, out in the open without any distracting elements, very envious. :cheers: I bet you two had a celebratory beer when you got back, but just the one!

Techs are spot on and i like the slightly off-set placement with the tail to the right and being visible. My only thought would be to perhaps go 16x10, darken the FG as everything is just a bit flat and then punch in some colour via some warming of the WB, reduce the blue, Curves, a tad of Saturation, but with this one, a hint more Vibrance as the OP looks a tad cool with the blue creeping in too.

Sanjeev this is a real belter of an image to close off the year & decade with, huge respect on this one.

TFS
Steve

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Steve, thanks a lot. Appreciate your kind words. Your RP is rocking and has lifted the image to its correct point. I did celebrate it with shot of Vodka & lime (as it was too cold :bg3:) with Haseeb giving company with black coffee by the bon fire. :S3:

[Steve Kaluski]

I did celebrate it with shot of Vodka & lime (as it was too cold) with Haseeb giving company with black coffee by the bon fire.

Excellent Sanjeev and I will raise a glass tonight to you both, but purely medicinal! :bg3: :cheers:

When you know you are coming over here next, give me a heads up and fire the file over as I will try and do a print for you.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Super shot Sanjeeve, congratulations, I saw Dotty and the leg and tail of one of her cubs! Eventually I am getting I think a slightly better eye for colour, I see a slight blue cast in the original, for brevity's sake I would suggest a little more oomph, slightly more colour and contrast. Nevertheless a super shot, love the composition.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Steve, I will be in UK in May, have a conference in Edinburgh. Will be a delight to receive that gift from you :S3::cheers:

[Steve Kaluski]

Send me the Raw when you can Sanjeev. BTW I too plan to be in Edinburgh in May, 5-11th, spooky. :bg3:

[haseeb badar]

Hi Doc -- Indeed a delightful sighting and image. Loved the drinking pose and the light. Steve's RP definitely improve things in terms of colours and oomph. I liked the framing and the tongue sticking out. Your image has slightly bluish cast as pointed out by Jon.

Nicely done. Keep them coming .

TFS.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Sanjeev ... agree a stunning shot , the free view and the head on shot is making it for me .

All in all a great image , just the colors in the OP are a bit off . Still think the cam should deliver finer detail ....:w3.... and why have you used F9 ?

TFS Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Awesome capture Sanjeev, this is a frame I am sure many of us dream about :5

Nice POV and the eye contact is fantastic, great techs and framing is spot-on.

Steve's RP is superb, does justice to the scene and beautiful tiger. Hope this frame goes to print soon:w3

Kind regards,