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Thread: Khwai Leopardess

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    Default Khwai Leopardess

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    What a pleasure it was to be alone for most of the time with this sighting. We were able to really work the scene and we able to capture a full range of images from daylight, golden hour, sunset to darkness with a spotlight. Certainly one the best ive had.

    Machaba Camp, Khwai, Botswana

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    300mm

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    1/250 s

    Aperture
    f/5.6

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    320
    -1.3 EV

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Brendon - Another great leopard image. As usual your use of flash looks good. I'd prefer if the leopard's head was angled slightly toward you rather away from you. There's a blue and cyan cast to the whites of the fur so I did a quick fix and I also cropped to 16x9 to eliminate the lighter area in the middle top that I felt drew the eye. Easy changes if you are so inclined.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Hi Brendon, another exquisite leopard image of yours at sunset. I actually prefer the OP. Rachel's RP feels a little tight to me. I don't mind the bright sky on top, but the bright spot right above the cat's neck draws my attention. I'm Ok with the cat looking that way and not paying attention to you. TFS. Loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Brendon, I think you & Wim certainly filled your boots on this one, great to see both Mum & cub so relaxed over the period, nice work, very envious.

    Looking at both crops, either can work and have their own merits IMHO. Unlike other images with flash where it's been more subtle, this I think has created some hard shadows, clipping the blacks, so what I might suggest is you add two filters either side and just darken the sides of the tree trunks. It still conveys the scene, but just tempers those brighter trunks and because it's in RAW you have all the other options available to tailor make the adjustment/angle, 20 secs your done. Personally I might also loose the highlight behind the head, likewise on the branch underneath her front paws. 50/50 on the looking away, just personal preference again.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Stunning sunset BG again here Brendon, the intersecting branches with flash shadows on the left are a little distracting with this wider framing here, but hey......this is their habitat we're talking about.
    Still would be happy to have this in my files.

    TFS


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    Thanks very much everyone, for your advice and suggestions, i am away traveling at the moment so will relook the image when im back.

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    This image has a huge, dramatic impact with that glorious saturated orange sky! Plus a good gleam in the eye. Read the above posts with interest and love this forum for all the suggestions, comments and thoughtful reposts.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Brendon very nice flash work on this one .
    I like the overall OP would not change a lot , Rachel has a good point about the cyans , but no deal breaker.But i agree with Marc about shadows made by the flash , maybe lightening them a tad would help. The color of the sky in BKG is gorgeous .

    TFS Andreas

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Stunning! Nothing else to add. 16x9 better I think.
    Ed

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