Cheetahs in Monochrome

[Morkel Erasmus]

Revisited an old file last night and played around with a conversion. I like how this came out...had to dodge/blend some darker patches in the BG to make it uniform after cropping to pano (there was a treeline in the BG).

Taken in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

All feedback appreciated, as always.

Techs:
Canon 40D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 400mm
f5.6 @ 1/1000 SS @ ISO-640

[Nancy Bell]

This is a wonderful graphic of the cheetahs! Their strong patterns and the 2 of them in perfect line with both faces straight on make this dramatic. I like how the faded out legs of the 1st cheetah moves the eye back to the faded-in legs and tail of the 2nd cheetah. This would look great stretched out long on the wall in reception in a high-end safari lodge!

P.S. The tongue licking up on the 2nd cheetah is a lovely detail!

[Marc Mol]

Absolutely love the symmetry and comp here Morkel, just not sure about the high key treatment.
TFS

[Lorant Voros]

I love this image. Composition is perfect IMO and the B&W look is very artistic and I do like the high hey treatment:-). The expressions on the faces are great too. Well done, Morkel.

Lorant

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks Lorant, Marc and Nancy for your comments.

For reference, here is the image after conversion but before I cut it down to pano. I like this too...but prefer the pano by a smidgeon.

[peter delaney]

Hi Morkel

love the conversion of both.... and I like both crops... win win... love the eyes...:S3:

[Jason Stander]

Great conversion... details still sharp... crop is perfect for the effect you wanted to create I like the artistic feel to the image... I think it would make for an impressive print... VWD!:S3:

[Dumay de Boulle]

Very nice bud. I love the conversion and the original crop works well for my taste!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, like Peter, I like both and glad you added the original, as I was going to ask for that, having seen both elsewhere. :bg3:

If I had to make a choice I guess it would be the first one, however, if you can, remove the grass stalk in front of the RH cheetah, pretty easy as it is just tones, but it is distracting from a 'graphic' wildlife image. :w3

TFS
Steve

[DanWalters]

Love the lightness of the image. Really brings attention to the eyes.

[Andrew Aveley]

when i saw the uncropped, my suggestion was to myself, 617 .....awesome dude !!!!!!!!

[Brendon Cremer]

great image, like the pano crop more but both are lovely :w3

[Jamie Douglas]

You are nailing the B&Ws Morkel. Both images are very nice indeed but first gets my vote. You will need to post an article on converting to B&W because I struggle getting the right contrast.

[noelle zaleski]

Very powerful image Morkel.

A wall hanger for sure!!

Love the pano crop. My only nit is the grass stalk. I would remove it.

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel - I too prefer the pano crop with the more even bg. Nice conversion. Well done.

TFS,
Rachel

[Grant Atkinson]

Wow Morkel, for sure the first one would look fantastic printed out...excellent work all around. Have you posted the original shot in colour anywhere earlier, I would like to see it if so?
TFS
cheers
Grant

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks a lot for all the kind comments, folks. Glad you enjoyed this one.

Jamie - I might do that but it's also a matter of taste and perspective. I tend to like a bit more contrast than most, and I see things differently than you do...if you scroll back a few posts on the forum you'll see some good discussion threads where myself and Peter Delaney posted some B&W abstracts. His worked better than mine, but all round some good points were highlighted by those that participated.

Grant - will post a colour version as a separate post. :bg3:

[John Ippolito]

Excellent high key graphic and conversion, Morkel. Very elegant, particularly in the pano crop. Superb!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks John...