Moremi Sub-Adult Cheetah

[Ken Watkins]

We came across a group of 4 Cheetahs Mum and 3 sub-adults on our way back to camp through the floods.
Light was bad but I could not turn down the opportunity, luckily I got shots before another vehicle arrived and people got out of the car to ask us what we were looking at, strangely we got no more shots and the golden light came, is drat the word I am looking for?

Taken in Southern Moremi 27th April 2010.

EOS1D Mk IV

500mm F4 IS hand-held

F7.1, ISO 800, 1/640

[Danny J Brown]

Ken - I can see that the light was not very friendly here but still a sweet shot with a perfect look on the cheetah's face and a simply wonderful setting all around the animal.

DB

[Steve Kaluski]

An inquisitive look and well fed by the look of him/her Ken which is good to see.

Sadly for me the face isn't sharp, the eyes, nose mouth look soft with no real detail & definition. Another round of USM does help, the first figure about 90... Might have shot at almost f/4 or 5.6 just to add a bit more to the SS which might have helped, although isn't the MKIV suited for low light? Suggest dropping (minus) Cyan & (-) Blue in Colour balance, as there is also a slight Magenta cast especially in the body according to the Info dropper in PS.

[Harshad Barve]

I am loving pose of Cheetah here , what a beauty , They will be on my top wish list when I will be in TZ in 2011
TFS

[Ken Watkins]

This looks perfectly OK in TIFF, converting in CS4 definitely changes the colours, and both they and the sharpness seem to deteriorate furher when posted here, there seems to be little I can do.

As for the MKIV as far as I am aware it cannot add sunlight:(

[Tom Graham]

V nice pose and eye contact.
Agree with Steve re techs including magenta cast.
Tom

[Steve Kaluski]

This looks perfectly OK in TIFF, converting in CS4 definitely changes the colours

If you follow my guidelines showing how to Convert for web they don't in CS4, try it. :)

[Ken Watkins]

Steve,

That is what I used, strangely enough I just did it again, and looked at 4 up the 2 lower resolution 120 and 80 seem to retain the original colours, even more puzzling. Perhaps I should try my old method:confused:

[Steve Kaluski]

Ken

You are doing something wrong as this is the correct route.

The limit for posting is 200k hence setting the Optimze box to 200k. The software will only resize/compress the file, it cannot change colours. The only thing I can think of is, when viewing any image on screen DO NOT view at 33% (a default setting as this is c**p), either 25, 50 or 100%. Also view your final file (web) at 'Actual' pixels, the only way. Other than that, if the colours are changing send me a RAW to view, or throw your monitor away. :D

Worked on from your posted file and viewed on two calibrated monitors and it's not far off, but not ideal, what does it look like on yours?

[Ken Watkins]

Steve,

Your repost has more contrast and saturation than my TIFF.
Other than that I have done everything other than setting the optimize box to 200, I do have such a box just a quality slider?

[Steve Kaluski]

Ken, firstly you have to ensure that you get the best out of your RAW file before anything else is done in PS, which I think you are not and the reason for this is, I am, I think, able to get back to something more true from a low res file, if that makes sense?

If you are saying that the TIFF is OK then change to an 8 bit, and follow my Save for web, then see what happens?

[Steve Kaluski]

This should the appear.

[Alfred Forns]

Wow Re post did make a difference !! Particularly the increase in density/contrast !!!

btw viewing wise Steve is right about 25, 50 or 100 In previous PS version they just look weird, in CS4 the problem was fixed but in any case sharpening is made to work best at 100% Spent a week with Tim Gray last Feb and finally understood the principle !!!

Strong stock image and love seeing the cat in the tall grass, great look and feel !!!

[Hilary Hann]

Some great advice we can all use, thanks for spelling it out so clearly.

[Steve Canuel]

Nice head on view. I also like the angle of the cat and the surrounding vegetation. Steve's repost takes it up a notch.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Ken

.. throw your monitor away. :D



Ken,
If you are going to follow Steve's above mentioned suggestion, then let me know. I may try to catch it. ;)

I am surprised why people get down from the vehicle to ask.

I like the vegetation all around the Cheetah. Eye contact is nice. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Ken Watkins]

Ken,
If you are going to follow Steve's above mentioned suggestion, then let me know. I may try to catch it. ;)

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Unfortunately not, but I do need a better computer, mine is much to slow:(

Cheers

Ken