Through the looking grass

[Marc Mol]

This 3yr old male Leopard was out & about on patrol when we found him a long way off the road amongst the beautiful greenery of Ruaha NP's short rain season.
For a totally wild leopard he was fairly relaxed, keeping a reasonable distance.

D4 500 f/4 VRII 1/2000s f/5.6 ISO1600 slight crop for framing. ACR/PS CC. Some may find the greener shrub RHS distracting, but I'm happy to leave in as it adds some context and keeps my 2:3 ratio.
Would also suit a portrait crop as well, and have a lot of him in that framing too.

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

I love it, Marc! A nice portrait of an animal perfectly at home in its own world. At first I thought a closer crop would work too but I think the grass covering its nose will spoil it on a close up. I'd perhaps just remove the magenta blob in the BG as it adds no value...

Nice one!

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Tobie

I'd perhaps just remove the magenta blob in the BG as it adds no value...

The "blob" is the trunk of a baobab tree and they do take on a pink/purple tone early morning, late evening,(especially in the green season) so that colour is a fairly true value. I could look at ruducing it slightly.

[Colin Driscoll]

Not the usual habitat that you expect to see a Leopard photographed in. I like the overall freshness of the image.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marc - this works for me but I do find myself wishing it wasn't as thick a blade in front of the leopard. I also find the darker area in the top middle distracting. The bush on the rhs doesn't bother me. Nice job focusing on the face through the grasses.

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Colin & Rachel

Hi Marc - this works for me but I do find myself wishing it wasn't as thick a blade in front of the leopard. I also find the darker area in the top middle distracting. The bush on the rhs doesn't bother me. Nice job focusing on the face through the grasses.

TFS,
Rachel

I do have more images of a similar nature with a clearer view that I can submit later.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice job showing the secretive nature here Marc. I agree on toning down the BG baobab trunk very slightly (just catching the eye due to colour and contrast), and love the vibrant greens myself.
I'd like to see some more in this series...

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Marc!
I too would like to see more on this leopard. Love the way he is hiding and I am dying to go there and bend the grasses to reveal his face Agree with Morkel, this image portrays the species' secretive nature, elusive yet curious. Do give us more on this fellow, would love to see his face.

Just curious-was the leopard lying down at the time you took this image?

Kind regards,

[Don Railton]

Hi Marc

A great 'animal in context' shot, and the water droplets add appeal IMHO... Well done.

DON

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Marc,
besides the blob in the BKG , which is really distracting for me , this shot is great .Easy to remove ……..
Love the greenery and the overall tonality .
TFS Andreas