Stealth

[Rachel Hollander]

I wanted to sneak another leopard image in when Sanjeev had posted something else . This is another one of the Vomba Young Male taken at Londolozi in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Here he had been surveying the terrain in search of a meal from the top of small rise and had spotted the impala herd in the distance. He is just starting to stalk. His approach took most of the morning and then faltered when we believe, he realized he took the wrong route and ran out of cover. Despite the fact that the impala were only yards/meters away at the end, he never made a run at them through the late morning.

Canon 5D3
300 II plus 2x III
1/1000
f5.6
ISO 800
Beanbag from safari vehicle, ff, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CCPS. I've debated a slight crop from the top to get rid of the small amount of blue sky peeking in.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

P.S. A reminder: The October theme "ANTLERS & HORNS" starts TOMORROW. Get your images of wildlife with either antlers or horns ready. Also today is the last day to participate in September's theme - "Close Ups." So get any last minute images in.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Rachel. Thanks for filling in for my leopards don't worry I will soon be back with them! I like the stalking approach & composition, nice habitat on display here. Colours are spot on and so is the detail. TFS.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel, very nice stealth look and pose of this one. Details and all is as usual great. I am tempted her to even crop mor off the RHS. To give the leopard more room to go to and let it even more "enter" in stealth the image. If you know what I mean. Will send you tomorrow a pm of what I am thinking here.
love the shot.

enjoy your eve

ciao Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Sanjeev and Anette for the comments and suggestions. Sanjeev, don't forget they are actually my leopards, I just let you borrow them for a short time .

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

I like the framing with the diagonal stalk approach here Rachel, you've depicted his intent nicely, and once again making good use of the 2x tc on the 300.
Anette's crop suggestion is also worth considering.

TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, I'm sure this young leopard is a few French fries short of a Happy meal, cannot believe the time we spent with him and to be only meters away from a a very tasty meal, oh well.

Techs, colour & detail all work nicely and agree the diagonal angle adds to the slinky movement of this subject, however I would go the opposite way and loose some off the LHS. The tree branches do not add much and I 'personally' like more of the Leopard coming into frame (as per the OP) as it creates that moving, stealth like feeling.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Marc and Steve, much appreciated.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Rachel, I like the diagonal stalking pose into the frame, and the leopards head pops nicely from the surrounding grasses. He certainly looks focussed on his meal, which you say he turned down. He must have been quite far for you to be shooting 600mm FL. Its quite a gamble in the bush which lens/FL will suit your next subject/sighting.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Stu. I definitely did a bit more switching around of lenses and tcs on this trip.