The big stare down.

[Marc Mol]

A female Leopard staring down through a Sausage tree at an Impala 50 yards away.
Sth Luangwa Nat Park- Zambia.
I've left the small branches above it's eyes, more to give a feel of her peering through
the bushes than cloning them out for that "clean" shot.

Nikon D2Xs
300 f/2.8 VR
ISO 800
1/640s
f/2.8

http://africaddict.smugmug.com/photos/236205619_QWctp-XL-1.jpg

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Ken Watkins]

I would crop more from the right and top, even then the twigs in front of the face spoil the whole thing. Leopards in trees are difficult unless at least partially in the clear.

[Marc Mol]

Leopards in trees are difficult unless at least partially in the clear.

Your not wrong Ken.
I still don't mind the twigs in front, what do others think?
Maybe I've got it all wrong?

[D. Robert Franz]

Busy image with some distracting BG bright spots but oh those eyes make it worthwhile...

[Amy DeStefanis]

I know how you feel about the branches - I have the same dilemma with another photo of mine posted in the travel forum (turtle with a little fish just above his face....). Leaving it the way it is gives the same sense of place that I really felt when I was there. The leopard really IS peering through brush. The fishies really were swimming around the turtle's head.... I have a hard time taking those things out.

For me, it's the white space above that is more distracting. I wonder if there is a way to crop in more. Is there some law that says these pictures have to be rectangular? I don't see many square crops, but I played around with it a little....

Amy DeStefanis

[Julie Kenward]

I think if the twigs had shown up as brown they would have been fine and even added to the image. With them showing up over-exposed and a whitish blue, they REALLY distract me.