Leopard

[Danny Laredo]

Hi all, first post here...
Hope you all enjoy my work just as I'm going to enjoy yours.



http://www.pbase.com/danny_laredo/image/108711749.jpg

[Marc Mol]

Hi Danny
Welcome, very nice first posting. Good composition & pose, could do with a slight decrease in contrast and also some added light. Was any flash used?

Cheers
Marc

[Steve Canuel]

Welcome,
I like the pose and look of the leopard. His perch has some nice detail as well although it looks a bit too "minty" green to my eye.

[Craig Markham]

A beautiful portrait, Danny, and an outstanding first post! I especially like the exquisitely blurred background which gives the impression of the forest canopy without distracting. At the same time, the color of the cat's eyes pick up those background colors ever so nicely. Your focus is perfectly centered on the eyes, and I really like the cat's gaze to the right, which gives the impression that it was not being distracted by the photographer. The contrast is perfect for my taste. You might experiment with reducing the "minty" green cast in the cat's shadow on the limb and to a lesser degree on the cat's muzzle and right cheek -- perhaps by using a bit of selective desaturation or adjustment of the green channel for those areas. That said, I love the image as-is, and would be cautious about overworking it. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work! Welcome!

Oh ,yes, we would be interested to see your exposure info for the image.

[Danny Laredo]

Thanks for the comments. The bg is untouched and no flash was used.
Sorry I didnt post the exposure info so here it is
MKIII 500F4+ TC X1.4 1/80 F6.3 ISO640

[Ken Watkins]

This is a very good image, good eye contact, nice and sharp and the BG is not distracting as it often can be with Leopards in trees, luckily the leaves appear to be a good way back from the head.
My only problem is the overall colour of the Leopard it looks much too "rich", I think that Steve has hit the nail on the head there is a lot of deep green, which would probably have some effect on the colour of the fur.

[Mike Tracy]

There does seem to be a high degree of greens within the image. Those eyes are mesmerizing and I like his relaxed posture. Look forward to more.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Nice image. The greens in the nose and fur made me initially think that there was some form of cloning. Since you clarified that no cloning was done, I am wondering about the possible reason. Did you shoot through vegetation?

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Craig Markham]

I know from my own experience in tree-climbing that lichens and algae stain my clothes blue-green. Seems a possibility here. Also, judging from the location of the green cast, reflected light from the lichen-covered branch may be influencing the color of the fur as well -- the hues are similar. Overall, I don't think it's a big deal, especially if it's only the result of the habitat itself -- the image is still a beautifully-composed winner.

[Ed Cordes]

Very nice image. I like the dreamy look to the eyes. To me the green cast seems to be from the natural green from the surroundings. I think it is very natural looking.

[Danny Laredo]

Thanks for the comments.
Indeed, Ed has hit the nail on the head regarding the green cast.