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Thread: Coup De Foudre

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default Coup De Foudre

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    I instantly fell in love with this lioness. I hope you do not find her aggressive, because she isn't. Not to humans in cars, anyway. She is only checking me out, and you can approve or disapprove of what I am saying, but I have known this lady for a few years now and she made quite an impression on me. This is why I have chosen to show you this little moment I had with her last October, a silent dialogue I shall always remember.

    If you think this does not qualify for the Theme, kindly let me know. You might not like the lower limbs being cut off, but she got quite close and I had no time to change lenses.

    Techs:

    Nikon D4
    Nikon 500 F4
    F7.1
    ISO 400
    1/1250s

    Hope you have a fabulous evening,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Beautiful, hypnotic shot. This young lady certainly commands attention and I can see how one can fall under her spell.

    Maybe remove the little circle of hair by the cheek camera right. But regardless, totally wonderful image. Congrats! :)

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela - Intense eye contact you had with this lovely lioness. I think it does fit the theme though I would open up the midtones even a bit more. Nice sharpness and details. Almost looks like a studio shot against the white bg. There's a slightly darker stray grass or twig coming up from the bottom of the frame in the white area between the legs, in an artsy image like this I would clone it out.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Hi Gabriela,

    This is a stunning photo and it works very well in B&W.

    I don't need the lower legs. The crop is perfect and would have been preferred even if you had more legs to show. It is the intense feeling of connection between you as the photographer and the lioness that make this picture. The eyes and the slightly open mouth are great.

    Regards Steen

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, I do like the posture, stare, but just not sure about the comp and I'm not sure why, conversely it does work? The conversion works extremely well and with the white BKG almost has a 'studio shot' feel, not that that really has much to do with it. I wonder about some brightness?

    TFS
    Steve

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela i had to google the title , very nicely chosen , even i had french in school . But that is too long ago and never heard that before .

    Very nice to get a studio shot in the Kalahari , i should have been there for the right WB with my grey socks , i guess you messed up the colors so you went B/W .
    I love the intense communication you had with her . I am fine with the crop and i like the conversion with nice tonality and detail /sharpness. I feel the same like with your ´Lumi´image it needs more light and some more flatness for a HK image , but that is again a personal feeling , not saying i am right with my thoughts .
    In here you really found the sweet spot for the sharpening , at least to my eyes.
    All around a very fine one , TFS yours Mr .....

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    Like Andreas, I had to look up the title. Here is what I found:
    astonishing occurrence; especially : overwhelming love at first sight. Well chosen as it fully describes how you felt with this lioness. It is indeed extraordinary to have a wild animal look right at you and it leaves a deep impression. Your image conveys this very strongly. No feet is of no consequence as the eyes and the facial expression are paramount. Even from my computer screen those eyes command my attention!



  8. #8
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default RP 1

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    Hello Friends!

    This is so exciting, I thank Moderators for coming up with Themes that get us out of our "comfort zone"! And thank you all for participating with your thoughts and suggestions, I shall try to reciprocate.

    I feel I have to explain a couple of things and I shall try not to depart from the topic entirely. I started my photography sometime around 2009, with no ambitions whatsoever-I was only trying to kill a few minutes in-between studying for my university exams. In my little breaks I used to walk around the garden to find flowers, bugs and butterflies to photograph, often to return feeling more inspired and ready to write a story or a critique on a novel. I soon realised that literature and photography blended well together and after I got my degree I continued pursuing both passions, literature to a lesser degree these days because it would require too much of my time. Nowadays I try to find a few minutes daily to read about the history of art, about aesthetics, etc. in order to learn more and to develop some sensibilities towards the passion I am currently pursuing. I have learnt how to get your attention, and I achieve this at times not because my images are good (they sometime fall below mediocre in terms of processing) but because I try to draw you in and convey my message. Here I had to think of a title that would catch your eye, and it had to do with how I felt about this lioness as she approached me. It also had to stir you, make you search for the meaning, grab that dictionary. I wanted you to "feel" the way I did.

    The "studio look" was also part of the plan, and I have other images like this taken in 2010 and 2011. The older ones are less sharp though Andreas - I do plan my shots, I often do so even before my subject walks into the right spot, hoping he or she will do so and things will work out...I often have a title in mind before I press the shutter The difficulty comes in when I am given a Theme, which - in this case - limits me in some ways instead to spur my imagination. This, because I already have my mind set on how I see my subject, or rather, how I want you to see it. I understand now how a Hi Key image should look like, but I struggle to put this knowledge into practice, because it goes against my "feel" of the image - when it comes to conversions I am rather inclined to go for a contrasty, sketchy look, I like to have fun, "no rules applied" kind of thing. This is why I am redoing my images now, I am limping a bit but I hope you'll help me get it right.

    Steve - thank you so much - this is perhaps the only image I have with such an awkward composition: I dislike cut limbs in photographs, and especially at the joint:)
    I could have taken some off the top but decided against it. I have some space on the LHS and on the RHS but went tight because I wanted the viewer to get close to the lioness, to look straight into her eyes. I brightened it, WDYT? I am really thinking I must bring a lioness into my studio at home one of these days...

    And Rachel, I simply did not see that blade of grass! Will take it out, thanks for pointing this out! Maybe I must print before posting

    Thanks also Edward, Steen and Nancy - you are so kind. Hope I did not bore you too much with the above, forgive me if it is so. Here's an RP:
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, personally I feel you should never force an image into meeting a brief or try to make it fit a title or theme, in do so you may be doing both the image and yourself a disservice IMHO. I think we have all come to see the passion within your images and the love you have for your subjects so try to keep them how you wish to interpret them, but also give things a whirl too, you never know, you may surprise yourself and us. This is why is great to have diversity here in both image & thinking. You have clearly stated you are already thinking about the shot both before and after the shutter is pressed and I feel that is a great quality, as often you/we don't have time to think ahead, or if you do, then it's from past experiences. Planning or having a shot in mind is great, certainly both Rachel & I did but on occasion it can also create frustration too.

    The word 'studio' was a coin of phrase, what I had though of was perhaps having the rear more vignetted, endeavouring to try and convey more power and prominence then to the head/face, so the viewer has even more contact/linkage???? The overall tone of the RP seems more 'softer' is that good or bad, personal taste, but I do feel the white or brightness needs to be higher, although as I'm away and using the laptop it's not ideal so perhaps Mr BE(???) can add some imput.

    I think one Lioness in the house is enough for Andre, LOL.

    Cheers
    Steve

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    "I think one Lioness in the house is enough for Andre, LOL"

    This must be the best compliment I ever got, Steve:)

    And a very good morning to you, I have been thinking a lot about what you said.

    Regarding planning the shot - I never experience frustration really and there's always a "plan B" when things do not go my way. The environment in the KTP as well as here in our local private reserves allows us plenty of opportunities, the best thing about our photographic trips being, we are often on our own and do not have to "compete" with other photographers. I do experience a great deal of frustration when shooting from a game vehicle filled with people:)

    I understand what you meant by "studio"; although I like the effect achieved, I have to find a way to create that Hi-Key image. I have not decided yet how to do it from the technical POV, I have some ideas though and will try another RP tonight. I am not giving up...

    Have a beautiful day, thank you again Steve:)

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, I pick this up more as we can exchange thoughts & ideas via email rather than going off topic, LOL.

    The word 'studio' just came into mind where you have an all white environment, and only the subject in view, a very clean, controlled, almost clinical POV. I like it as it's different, but done more 'in-camera' rather than PP. You can create it I guess to a certain extent when shooting, but I would look for when the opportunity offers itself to you and using the natural light, backlit etc. May be step away from the image for a few days, then revisit it with a fresh pair of eyes.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Of course Steve,

    Will do so, and will drop you an email soon, thanks so much
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default RP 2

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    ... and a third attempt...


    I look forward to your suggestions and certainly not giving up until I get it right

    ...should all fail, I shall get one big lioness into my studio and convince her to pose for me:)


    Have a wonderful evening...
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    If this looks as good on the monitors when I get home at the end of next week Gabriela, then for me, you have hit the mark, well for me. Just would like more room either side as per the OP.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    I shall count the days till you get home then...Today I found myself thinking about this image way too often...it almost interfered with my work...

    Will give this lioness the space she deserves.

    Thank you Steve, I really appreciate you taking the time to help:)

    Have a good night,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela i might back off slightly on the blacks to give the blacks bit more softness . like yourself are

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Late to this one, Gabriela. Beautiful eye contact and moment with this lady, and love the title too!
    I agree with Andreas, sharpening is spot on...your last RP is my favourite, looks more "high key" than the others and the face is opened up nicely tonally - in the OP I immediately got bugged by the legs but with the tonal emphasis of your last RP I don't even notice them.
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


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    Always glad to read whatever you write, as you speak from the heart. LOVE the last image!! Wonderful how the back fades into the white bkgd.

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    I really like the second crop and the detail on this beautiful Lioness is fantastic...Lovely image!

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Last rp work for me too. Your perseverance paid off.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you all so much - once again - for your feedback and time to view. I am so looking forward to the next challenge!
    I really enjoyed working on this image, as well as the interaction with you, your honest opinions, your constructive criticism.

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Just wow....
    Fabuloussssss.... Loved this image a lot Gabriela.

    Regards,
    Shantanu

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