Leopards

[Rachel Hollander]

An image of my two favorite leopards from my August 2012 trip to Africa and the Timbavati Game Reserve. I hope to see these two again in a few days time. The mother has 2 cubs this year and this cub is now almost 3, on his own and apparently doing well.

Canon 5D3
70-200 II @ 155mm
1/200
f7.1
ISO 400
EC +.67
HH from safari vehicle, cropped for comp, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CCPS.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, now you are just teasing us.

I quite like the playful interaction, likewise the composition. Techs look good and nice to be able to use a shorter lens on compositions like this.

I feel there is still more you can get from the main subject walking, likewise just opening the face of the playful cub. As you were there you know the conditions & colour, but I wondered about just marginally dropping the exposure in parts of the environment and tweaking the WB so a tad less red, WDYT?

Safe flight.

TFS
Steve

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

I wondered about just marginally dropping the exposure in parts of the environment and tweaking the WB so a tad less red, WDYT? Steve

I like it - definitely more definition in the colours and a little sharper too - you probably USM'd it a little?

Great shot overall, Rachel! Perfect portrait of the 'playfullness' of these cats!

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Steve and Tobie. Steve - thanks, the rp looks good. I had reduced the reds some in the op but not sure which is more accurate. I had looked at opening up the face of the cub but remembered that he was significantly darker than his mum (as you would say) and he also seems to be under her a bit here. Probably could go either way with it.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Probably could go either way with it.

Yep, just thought in this instance a tad more lighter would help, but a balancing act. If you have room, pop it on the Notebook, or something we can transfer to the laptop, as we could do a quick PP lesson?

[Rachel Hollander]

Will do and hopefully I can introduce you to these 2.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Rachel nice interaction shot with good detail and color .I like the color of OP .
Just asking curious what the space on RHS is good for ? Tighter crop perhaps ? I like that Steve opened up the face a fraction.

Have fun and come back with some nice shots, good luck.

Cheers Andreas

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely shot my first reaction was that the grasses were a little too bright, the sharpening looks fine to me, as Steve points out he wasn't there - but neither was I so it may need more sharpening WDYT?

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Andreas and Jonathan - typing this on my phone so hopefully no typos. Andreas- I tend to like more negative space and prefer not to crop heavily even though 5D3 files can take it.

Jonathan - I backed off on the sharpening of the grasses, maybe a little too much.

Thanks again,
Rachel



Sent from my RM-845_nam_vzw_100 using Tapatalk

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice winter tones of the Lowveld, and nice interaction.
Steve's bump in sharpness has lifted it a tad. Some good leopard action in the Timbavati recently, you're in for a treat!
Safari Njema! (Kiswahili for "travel safely")

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dearest Rachel,

Love your leopards, lots of detail and the composition/presentation is just great-another stunning image!

I feel like booking a flight to Joburg just to come say hello (we have not met face to face yet, imagine seeing this woman at International Arrivals waving a familiar lion print with a big "Welcome to SA" writing on it, your name at the top!). So sad I cannot surprise you this time, my warmest, happiest thoughts will be with you over the next weeks and I wish you the most wonderful trip, packed with amazing sightings and opportunities! Have fun, looking forward to hear from you when you return

xxGabriela

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel and Gabriela. Gabriela - now that would have been a sighting!

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Neil Burton]

Lovely shot this, tones have a lovely equality. Steve's sharpening may a tad too much for me but the darkening works.

[Martin Dunn]

an engaging shot Rachel.
I like the interaction of the leopards but for me the overall image is a bit too light/pale. Of course I was not there and this may be an accurate rendering of what you saw but the brightness of the grass surrounding the leopards does distract from the main subject - for me at least

[edwardselfe]

I agree with Martin and would probably drop the exposure just slightly, even if that's not 'how it was'.
Hope you're having a good time away.
Ed