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Thread: High Intensity Morning Walk

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default High Intensity Morning Walk

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    Another one of our very cooperative subject, the Vomba Young Male. This one was taken the first morning we spent with him. At times he liked to use the road to travel too. This particular morning he was shadowing his father, the Marthly Male. I read recently that the Vomba Young Male has not been seen at Londolozi in months. Let's hope he moved off and established his own territory on another lodge's property rather than met an untimely demise.

    Canon 5D3
    300 II
    1/500
    f5
    ISO 800
    Beanbag from safari vehicle, cropped by about 30% for comp, shot vertical, luminosity mask, levels, curves, sharpened in CCPS.

    Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy 2015 with lots of great photographic opportunities!

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

    P.S. Get your last few predator images in for the December theme. Don't forget the new theme, high key images, starts January 1.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dearest Rachel!

    Hope you had a wonderful Xmas, and that I am forgiven for vanishing from BPN Wildlife for the past few weeks:) After such long absence I am finding it difficult to process images again, thought it would be best to browse through the latest images and get inspired:)

    Your leopard is indeed inspiring, love the determined walk and focused look, the tip of the tongue slightly protruding, and that little scar on the nose which tells a story about this young male. I love the framing and natural colours, in fact I like everything as is. I find myself wishing for a tad more DOF, although I admit the subject does stand out beautifully, head is tack sharp and I love that paw stretched forward. Lovely detail on the face and great POV, cannot imagine a better crop, this works for me overall - stunning work, Rachel!

    Have a pleasant evening and a great week ahead!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lovely image of this young leopard. Great framing and perfect color rendition. I like the bloody paws, the gaze and walking pose.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Gabriela and Sanjeev. Gabriela, you have been missed but are forgiven. Sanjeev, I forgot to mention the blood on the paws was due to a wound on his right front paw that you can see here.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Thanks Rachel for the clarification. Hope he is alive and well somewhere.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel nice head on walking pose of this Leopard , you extracted nice tone and detail from the shadows to the mid tones and the colors do look nice and soft .
    I think the 1/4 tones and the HL could stand a bit more tonal depth , unless you like to keep the HK look .
    The tyre tracks do look a bit unfortunate , but not much you could do if this guy chooses to walk there .

    TFS Andreas

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    Hi Rachel

    I very much enjoy this picture, great techs, comp and look of that leopard. Great picture!

    TFS / Gregor

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Love the light and techs/detail look good as well Rachel, would have preferred not to see the tyre tracks/road and would love to see this from a lower POV if you have one?

    TFS


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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andreas, Gregor and Marc for comments and suggestions. Marc, a lower pov not possible due to confines of the safari vehicle.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Big cats do love roads! Nice pose and DOF here, Rachel. I like the blood on the paws too.
    If mine I'd darken midtones slightly and also look at a slight CCW rotation, to me it feels like he's about to keel over to the RHS...
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Morkel, I kept looking at the rotation and was wavering (pun intended) because the paw is straight but the eyes are off slightly.

    Happy New Year!

    Rachel

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Like the subdued colors on this one. I also like how the road kind of leads the eye down and out of the frame, taking the cat with it.

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Not only big cats love roads. Many wildlife use the roads to travel on because there is nothing in the way and much easier. Here in our forest all wildlife travel on the path!
    Nice capture Rachel of this one, I also would love a lower POV but we cannot have everything.
    Wish you a great New Year

    ciao Anette

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, a lovely sighting, although I know you may have got tired of these 'hit & run' shots, but I think they were balanced with the elephant ear & silhouettes LOL, a good laugh I trip, thanks.

    Personally I think it's fine as presented, the only way to get a lower POV is to shoot it further away, I assume this was from the morning drive?

    Has Santa been yet, or are you still waiting?

    All the very best for the New Year, think you will have a busy January?

    TFS
    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Steve, Anette and Steve, as always I appreciate the comments and suggestions.

    Steve, I don't mind the approach shots and the crazy rides to get in front of the animal, I just prefer the ones that weren't on the road. Of course, Anette is correct, many animals use the roads for quick movement and better visibility of the surrounds. This one was from our first morning with Vomba when his father was also around, not the morning of the lazy hunt. It was a great trip with loads of fun and photo ops.

    Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2015 with lots more wildlife opportunities.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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