Weekly Theme: Here's looking at you!

[Nancy Bell]

Another jaguar from my series from the Pantanl in Brazil. The researchers name the jaguars to help keep the observations apart. They take pictures of the spots between the eyes as that is distinctive to each animal. This one is Patricia. If you look carefully she is licking her paw while watching us. Sometimes it is hard to tell, who is the watcher and who is the "watchee" !

I used Dennis' technique that he recently posted with his painted table top; topaz simplify, watercolor II, reduced opacity; 2 b&w layers from topaz simplify and fractalius, at greatly reduced opacities. Thank you Dennis for sharing your techniques!

[Dennis Bishop]

Very nice, Nancy, in all ways. The original capture, the composition, and the processing all work together to make a great image. The light color on the jaguar's head draw my attention right to those wonderful eyes.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Nancy,

Greetings. Can't escape those eyes! Everything brings them into focus... Good show!

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Andre Pretorius]

Love the effect, Nancy!
The painting effect looks very real, wonder what a print would look like?

My only crit is the edge of left ear, maybe clone @ 20% or blur tool? The edge is too harsh. Would suggest you darken the twig in FG.

Love it!

Andre

[Nancy Bell]

Thanks all! I posted the "real" jaguar in the Wildlife forum if you wish to see it.

Andre, do you mean I should do something with that white spot on the ear? I'll see how that twig takes to a bit more darkening. I already did some burning.

[Dennis Bishop]

Thanks all! I posted the "real" jaguar in the Wildlife forum if you wish to see it. . . .

I don't normally venture much out of OOTB, but I saw the real one last night. Being biased toward OOTB, it didn't surprise me that I like this one better.

[Diane Miller]

Too cool!! Edge of the ear -- would take it from 99 to 100%, but not a big deal to me. Maybe also reduce the blowout in the whites below the eyes, but here such things can go down as art!

Gorgeous cat!!

[Anita Bower]

A multi-tasking Jaguar! I like both versions, this and the one in wildlife--each has something to recommend it. I like the watchful pose, and the tongue licking her paw. I don't know how much work you want to do, but I might darken the white below the eyes, as well as the lower part of the image and the right corner. I'd also tone down the leaves to the right. I'd then add some saturation to the eyes and slightly lighten some of the dark areas beneath the top jaw. But, it is very nice as it is.

I just looked up the Patanal to learn where it is located and some of the animals there. What an adventurous place to go.

[Diane Miller]

Good suggestions from Anita. But I like the two bright leaves to our right of the cat. The face is strong enough they don't compete, for me. I would burn down the triangle in the UR.

Loving this image!!

[Nancy Bell]

Thanks again everyone! Anita, thank you for your detailed thoughts. I will go back and tidy up! Thank you also, Diane. I appreciate all the eyes & suggestions you guys bring to an image! Dennis, I know where you are coming from!
Check out Denise Ippolito's mini-mag for Dec. I wrote an article on my trip to the Pantanal.

[Kerry Perkins]

Lovely set of eyes, and I like the fact that they are not looking directly into your lens. This big cat has that "detached awareness" that the famous fashion photography Fransesco Scavullo attributed to Brooke Shields when he took that famous photo of her at age ten. I agree with the thought of burning the whites under the eyes just a tad. Compelling image, nicely done!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Terrific work Nancy, I really like the processing and the wary stare. The processing really brings out the texture in the fur.