Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Marula Female Leopard

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default Marula Female Leopard

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Another one of the 13 different leopards we saw on our recent trip. This is the Marula Female and we spent the latter part of a morning game drive watching her unsuccessfully stalk a herd of impala. Here she observed them from the tree. Taken at about 9:30 a.m. in the Timbavati Game Reserve, South Africa.


    Canon 5D3
    70-200 II @ 150mm
    1/640
    f5.6
    ISO 800
    HH from safari vehicle, ff, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CCPS.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel
    

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hyderabad, India
    Posts
    5,088
    Threads
    1,356
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Rachel, you have exposed the subject very well despite the bright light & there is great amount of detail. Nicely composed as well. TFS.

  3. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    1,298
    Threads
    112
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great shot, Rachel! Nice colors and sharp - totally relaxed whilst planning it's next move.

    Interesting to see the 70-200 in use for a change (not that any other lens would give finer results at 150mm)!

  4. #4
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    19
    Threads
    7
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    relaxed but ready for action always, lovely detail.

  5. #5
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Yep, she certainly was relaxed, a tad too much if I remember when she feel backwards dismounting.

    I wonder if some slight CA adjustment might help with the blue around the tree branches? Position in frame maybe due to the position of FP's, but I feel you could afford some off the top being so close to the foot, the balance feels a little out perhaps, IMHO? Trick not to loose any colour in the sky so nice one. Classic pose, but she did seem uneasy in her position as she kept readjusting. Perhaps some mid tone in parts just to help the form & depth, rear left leg looks a fraction light where the light hits it, could make a small adj there? Techs look good.

    TFS
    Steve

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    UK / RSA
    Posts
    407
    Threads
    38
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A fine subject very well captured Rachel.
    The leopard looks terrific with lots of detail but it might be worth reducing the brightness on the leaves/branches/sky in the top right hand corner of the image. It is quite a large area and rather too bright.

  7. #7
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,738
    Threads
    455
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hello Rachel!

    Miss Marula is gorgeous, and I cannot believe you saw 13 leopards in such a short time - how wonderful!

    Read Steve's comment and still smiling - did she really fall afterwards? Have you got an image of the "loss of balance" moment? I am also wondering what is that white fluff on her chin?

    I would be very tempted to try take off a bit from the top as well as from the right if this was mine, to create the illusion that there is more space in front of the subject - what do you think?

    Lovely image, lighting conditions well handled, leopard is stunning and I love the blue sky, I would have probably shot this in spot metering and then battled with the BG...

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  8. #8
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Read Steve's comment and still smiling - did she really fall afterwards?
    Hi Gabriela, as she came down the tree towards the base, the tree was in a 'Y' form where she stopped, head one side (our side), rear the other, however the balance wasn't quite right and subsequently disappeared backwards, but like all cats, landed on her feet.

  9. #9
    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Somewhere else in the World
    Posts
    4,797
    Threads
    708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A fine pose from this lovely female Rachel, well captured, agree with Gabriela on the suggested crop and running a lumo mask selectively on the bright parts of the branches.


  10. #10
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,738
    Threads
    455
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Ouch!!!

    Steve, hope someone had a videocamera handy? This is so funny! (LOL) One of those memorable moments you will never forget!

    Wish I was there too, love to see Rachel's images from this trip, such amazing sightings! I was just thinking right now...I can never take Africa and its wildlife for granted, even though I have been living here for about 20 years now. Just Saturday we were in the company of three male lions on a private reserve just minutes from our village - the good news is, so much land that was used for farming in the past is now home to the Big 5 - gives me hope that the future of wildlife in this country is not that bleak and there are some good things happening...

    Hope to see more images from you Rachel, waiting patiently for Steve to share some of his too...

    Good nite, have a great day tomorrow!
    Gabriela Plesea

  11. #11
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Rachel , like this cool looking Leopard image almost as presented . Might think about Steve´s suggestion regarding the CA .
    Good composition , colors and tones . Very good detail/sharpness. I feel you did very well in controlling the exposure when shooting under the lightning situation.

    Nicely done , TFS Andreas

  12. #12
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. Easy to burn the brighter branches a little and to crop some from the top and right. Steve - I'll have a look at CA. I think the back left leg is accurately slightly lighter since the dappled light was hitting it.

    Gabriela - The rangers think that she is pregnant and at the time was getting used to her slightly different center of gravity. She tried a few different resting positions in the tree too. I didn't get any images of the fall as I was getting set to get the descent on the near side of the tree when she fell back. Maybe Alison got it on video.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

  13. #13
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa
    Posts
    820
    Threads
    135
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Rachel, great image well captured in relatively harsh light, agree on a little more mid tone contrast needed in a few areas and perhaps a little highlight recovery too on her back and hind leg, otherwise great image.

  14. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  15. #14
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Nicely exposed for the light you had, Rachel.
    Steve made a good point about cropping tighter from the top. I wonder if using f4 would have rendered the branches soft enough to not be the slight distraction they are now. That being said, my leopard portfolio is in tatters so I would take this any day
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  16. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  17. #15
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks Brendon and Morkel for the comments and suggestions.

  18. #16
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,738
    Threads
    455
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thank you Rachel,

    ...and I am sure there is a video of this epic fall "somewhere in the world" ...

    Morkel, we should "find" Brendon's folders, I think he's got leopards gallore, enough for both of us I do not even have a "leopard portfolio", just a few images and they need a rework...

    Have a great weekend dear Rachel and Friends!
    Gabriela Plesea

  19. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  20. #17
    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    1,818
    Threads
    95
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks a lot Rachel for the link. A fine leopard indeed.

    Ciao
    Anette

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics