Your Cover's Blown !

Hello everyone , thank you for all your comments and suggestions to my previous post , as always much appreciated .

Here is my contribution to this months theme .

Tiger is listed as endangered on the IUCN redlist. India is holding the largest population of these enigmatic cats but the same country is also second highest in human count. As a result there is an ongoing process of development and the forests and corridors which these cats use for there survival are vanishing quickly and the hope is slowly fading . There will be a day in the near future when the tiger will be left in just few isolated pockets if the chopping and cutting of trees in and around protected areas is not stopped.

This is a sub adult from Bandhavgarh National park. We were on a full day safari and saw them( 4 tigers) relaxing in the open area when all the tourists left the park. This particular tiger was hidden behind the huge tree and suddenly popped out when his other siblings became active on our arrival.

DPP 4.8, PSCC 2018, WB, curves, levels, selective colour , reduced the contrast, cropped slightly from all sides , Sharpening .

Canon 5D MK III ( this was before i bought 1DX ) , Canon 500mm f4 IS II, Bean bag.

1/1250 sec; f/7.1; ISO 1600.

All your comments and suggestions are most welcome and much appreciated.

Hi Haseeb, well that is certainly an absolute corker of an image, the low POV is excellent and it just makes the image for me. The Pee-ka-boo look is great, especially with the slightly open jaw/mouth. Personally I feel the tree trunk is bit dominant and so loosing some off the LHS would help, but if you have more to the RHS even better. Techs look good, nice work with the 5D3 and PP, however like John M, your Blacks are heavily clipped loosing detail in the darker shadows.

I think you could go a bit richer overall, and even get some more detail from the bark, maybe lighten the BKG to get some more separation, just playing with the light a tad. Bringing some brightness in the whites & highlights through Curves helps to IMHO.

RP just to illustrate my thinking.

TFS
Steve

Hi Haseeb, a stunner for sure, love the gaze, the peek-a-boo look and the details. Agree with Steve reg comp. Nice one. TFS.
Sanjeev

Thank you Steve and Sanjeev .

@ Steve - I really liked what you have done with the processing, especially getting it much brighter and adjusting the blacks. Infact you have good suggestion with the crop as well but I liked the crop in OP as the idea of tiger hidden behind a big tree goes well with it.

Hi Haseeb, the Blacks are easy, just look at the Histogram in DPP, but perhaps easier in LR or ACR, it will clearly show any clipping you may have introduced. However, the histogram in LR & ACR is not the same as you camera so I/m not sure if in DPP it reflects the 'true' Histogram. Then it's just u[[ing the Exp, Highlights & Whites, but I prefer to use Curves, but you do have some 'movement' in refining things even more. Crop, your call, no worries, lets see more.

As said it is a smashing image. I think both crops work well

This is awesome, Haseeb!

Lovely pose from the tiger and POV is superb, wonderful eye contact.

I tend to agree with Steve regarding crop, because it places more emphasis on the subject. Colours look good but the blacks were indeed a tad strong, looking better in Steve's RP.

Nice techs and good choice in terms of DoF. Sharpness is there in good measure. Beautiful image, I am loving it:cheers:

Kind regards,

Thank you Gabriela and Basil , your comments and suggestions are much appreciated .

@ Steve - in ACR it wasn't showing the blacks as being clipped but i agree they appear a bit strong.

Like the low perspective and the direct stare. Neat how you caught the tiger right at the trunk of the tree. The composition works well here.

Hi Haseeb - I absolutely love this and Steve has certainly taken an already excellent image up a notch. On the crop, both work for me and I do get what you are saying about the peek-a-boo effect with more of the tree included.

TFS,
Rachel

Hi Haseeb, Wow! If this cub could see your image, I am sure it will commission you for an entire portfolio for it's modelling career! Loved the subject, your image capture, PP, crop.
Steve, your eyes for details are fantastic. We are all benefitting from your insights so generously shared.

Thank you Rachel , John and Jay, much appreciated !

Love the framing and low angle here, as well as the alert/inquisitive look.
Steve's repost has lifted it.