I'll see you and raise you another Leopard

[Steve Kaluski]

Sorry Rachel could not resist it. BTW I haven't even finished the first camp, let alone the last, but here is another POV of your Leopard, LOL who was gorgeous.

Just trying something different as she would constantly move every few minutes whilst keeping an eye on the young and playful cub. I wanted to convey that 'through the vegetation' concept and leaves over the head are, IMHO an integral part, keeping the main area, the eye, clear and in view. As Rachel said, not the greatest location for light, but you have to work with what your are dealt and make the most of things.

Steve

Subject: Female Leopard through the undergrowth (Panthera pardus)
Location: SA
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 500f/4 with 1.4x HH on bean bag
Exposure: 1/125s at f/11 ISO2500 EV +0.33
Original format: Landscape, slight crop.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I jump around in my processing a bit rather than going systematically through the trip. Great sharpness, detail and dof but I do find the oof branch bisecting the head vertically a bit distracting (more so than the leaves). The blue eye is just mesmerizing though.

TFS,
Rachel

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve, stunning detail and sharpness .I understand your vision and i am fine with the OOF leaves , but unfortunately the OOF twig across the face is an issue .Not much you can do about . Great eye !!!!

Nicely PP work . TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

OK Boys & Girls, not ideal and personally I guess I have lived with the branch, therefore it has perhaps has blended in, as it's more about the 'intense focus' for me, but we all see things differently. The original crop took into account loosing the whiskers below, so I have also change the format a little too in the RP.

The simple changes means that building in Layers means you do not have to start from scratch, oh what joy.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Steve better stick to OP , think you can`t realistically clone /remove that OOF twig without leaving signs , specially when there is an option to compare the two . Finally i think after watching again , i could live with it .

Cheers Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

Andreas, interesting as there was no cloning, just a different route.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Interesting Steve , there is another route , i don`t care , in the end there is another pattern visible with spots missing so you altered the image , in whatever way , still prefer the OP if compared .

[Andreas Liedmann]

PS a very funny hairdresser style in parts of the fur , combed the fur into the wrong direction

[Steve Kaluski]

Not quite Andreas, but that is why I left things as they were in the OP, it's not an issue .

[Andreas Liedmann]

Agree , sometimes we should be able to see two things to find out what works best , as i said OP for me after seeing the edited version

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, the detail is the eye is simply incredible, and you have brought out the detail on the leopards coat very well. Africa is a tough place to always come away with clear shots, but thats the challenge of photography - get the best out of the situation. You did.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Good evening Steve,

Before I say what I personally think about this image, I must quote Andre here next to me who just said seconds ago: "...the eye is like a road map, it's amazing".

It is indeed amazing and I love the detail, this is precisely what you taught me to do with my "lion eyes" and once again I see what you meant then: blacks not chocked, nice detail around the eye too, natural colours. I like that little blood vessel in the corner of the eye, the eye lashes, the fur. Superb processing Steve!

I have no issue with the cloning, if I did not see the OP I would not have noticed, I think. So for me the RP is best. I also don't mind the vegetation, the leopard is one elusive animal and often portrayed as such. If I say I love it as is some might think I am just being nice, but I guess by now you now me well enough to believe me.

So glad you are back and posting, cannot wait for more!

Warmest regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

Africa is a tough place to always come away with clear shots, but thats the challenge of photography - get the best out of the situation.

Hi Stu, nice of you to swing by and appreciate the reply. It's great when you can shoot in good light, low ISO and no distractions, but how often does this happen? Also if things were that easy then perhaps it would not be as enjoyable, or, as you say challenging. Certainly the first few hours were extremely challenging and frustrating, plus because of the location poor Dumay (our new lost/found friend) could not gain access and share the moment. I also think this is where you have to be a little creative too, going tighter, wider, smaller etc, however Digital gives you so much to play with for almost zero cost once you bought your cards.


Hi Gabriela, yes I know where you are coming from and so thanks. If I am being totally honest, i'm not quite 100% with it as I know what I saw and so perhaps more SS on reflection would have helped, or even a tad more PP. To me, if you go this route it has to be 110% because it's all about the fine detail and in fact one I almost posted has perhaps a better clarity & detail with less DoF. It is amazing the degree of detail you can capture, but avoiding the choking in the darks & shadow areas are key as retaining the form is so beneficial, just a hint is enough for the viewer to interpret things.

I'm looking forward to your images in the coming months, especially with the added help of Andreas, but just remember, enjoy and don't get too hung up with the techs.

[Andreas Liedmann]

That will become not too easy for the two , when i get them in my tech fangs , but maybe i will learn something like being not that much technical and more emotional .............. but i am more skeptical about this .
We will have for sure fun ....

[Gabriela Plesea]

...who's emotional?

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Simply beautiful, Steve! After reading the other comments: the OOF leaves do not bug me at all because it's all about that beautiful eye. Perhaps you should have titled it 'Eye of the leopard' then everything other than the eye would have been irrelevant...

[Steve Kaluski]

but maybe i will learn something like being not that much technical and more emotional .............. but i am more skeptical about this. We will have for sure fun ....

I think the issue is Andreas, is 'WE' have a limited window of access to such a wonderful location and so try to achieve the best in every shot and loose the factor of having fun too. It's easier said than done and trust me, I too had my moments of frustration, achievement, and overall nailing things, but I think we just have to accept what will be, will be, however with a little bit of 'Lady Luck' we can get the shots and if not, there is hopefully a next time.

I think the combination of you & Gabriela will compliment each other and balance things out hopefully and where the two of you can learn from one anther, with Andre just absorbing things quietly.

Cheers Tobie, however I think that title can only be attributed to one female Leopard, but the thought had gone through my mind when taking & reviewing the shots.

[Anette Mossbacher]

and this was done with the Macro lens right? That's why you brought it along. I knew something was brewing in that lens. Who needs a Fiat.

Great eye, I even can see the flea nearby the nearly hidden eye. Well done master Steve. As usual, great stuff and so sad that I did not brought my macro along, bummer.

have a great day

Ciao
Anette

PS no smilies today, does not work right now on my hamster box!! :))

[Steve Canuel]

Great detail Steve. As other have noted, its all about the eye but what I particularly like is the reflected sky/tree line catchlight running across it. Hints to the hidden location of the animal. I think these kinds of shots work better when the eye is completely surrounded by foliage. Just needs a couple more leaves around the upper right corner for framing the eye for me.