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Thread: Cat On the Plains

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    Default Cat On the Plains

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    I have a bit of a problem in working this image, so would like some help.

    This is the Super Mom Cheetah at Mashatu. She had 5 cubs and has managed to raise 4 of them to this day. The cubs are about 15 months old and healthy.

    On this early morning, she was on the move looking for dinner while trying to slip away from the 3 hyenas who follow her trail. I love this eye level view when she got on a small hill looking at the impala at a distance.

    Light was a bit difficult, coming from the right and she was under the shade of the tree.

    1DX
    100-400 II @ 220mm
    1/800
    f5.6
    ISO-1600
    HH.

    I reduced the overall contrast, boosted the mid tone via Levels, and applied a small curves to the cheetah.

    Thank you in advance for your comments.

    Loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I have a bit of a problem in working this image, so would like some help.
    What is the problem you have Loi?

    The main one for me is the cat is sadly slightly angled away from you and walking away, could you not have moved around to the left more to get a better angle? Sorry don't mean to sound harsh.

    Hope you have managed to recover some sleep.

    Cheers
    Steve

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    Steve, I thought the colors look muted and the image doesn't quite work. Now that you mentioned the cat's angle, I have to agree. The cats have been on the move and I was unfortunately in the back row that time. Just managed a shot in and then the moved away.

    Sleeping has been difficult with the time change sadly.

    Thanks

    Loi

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Loi - Unfortunately, I think Steve has hit the nail on the head with the major problem with this one, the angle of the cheetah. While slightly muted I would guess that the colors accurately reflect the time of day.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Hi Loi ! There appears to be a greenish cast and also agree with the angle of Cheetah.

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    Hi Haseeb, thank you for the comment. I should have recognized the Greenish cast, which throws the colors off. Given the comments above, I think I will bin this image. I like the eye level view and the pose with the valley view in the BG, but not much I can do about the slight ange away from me. Thank you. Loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Loi, it is a keeper, DO NOT bin!!!!

    The image has some nice qualities within it, were you able to tweak it any more to what you envisaged it 'should' look like? Use it as a platform to learn from.

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    Majestic all round Steve.

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    Ok, Steve, let me give it a try. I think the issue was the image was under-exposed and then had a big Green cast. In LR, I warmed up the color temp to 5800, added +0.33EV, +7 Vibrance, +7 Sat, then exported to PS for final Levels adjustment and sharpening. This is close to what I recall the scene. Hope you like it better.

    I have another question. I use Adobe RGB setting in camera and LR and then convert to sRGB for Web. The sRGB version posted on BPN when viewed with google Chrome looks a bit more Red than the Adobe RGB version in PS. Does anyone have the same issue?

    Thank you everyone.

    Loi
    Last edited by Loi Nguyen; 05-04-2015 at 10:16 PM. Reason: correct color cast

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Loi, I think your last RP is much better.

    Looking at the RAW, I personally think you were not that far off in Exposure, I just opened the Exp up by just under a third of a stop, this still avoided blowing anything in the sky. I find getting a good starting point to base your PP works, but that's just me. You than have hopefully a level playing field in which you can start to take the direction you want i.e., warm, cold, light dark etc. I would perhaps push the ISO Loi, giving yourself more SS i.e. 1/1600+, I think it would have offered a sharper file and reduce the frame rate as you had it set to the highest. All 9 expansion points were activated, I would keep it to one for obvious reasons and get it on the head, think what happens when you have more activated. The image looks closer than it actually is, this is almost 20m away.

    Loi, it seems you were happy when you processed the image, but viewing in the browser throw you and therefore going cooler as it appears we both started off with a similar WB 6500. You asked me to post this so here goes. I had to second guess regarding the warms & lighting based on my own experiences in Bots, early morning and that nice warm, golden light, so a bit of 'artistic' license here. I also kept sharpening to a minimum. For sure, if we processed together we could hone things far more, accuracy rather than second guessing.

    Hope this helps and take any negatives you may have and turn them into positives.

    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Wow Steve

    One thing I have learned in the last weeks, do not be afraid to warm your images.. (just a weenie little bit!)

    Nice capture Loi, can feel the mood of the Mom.
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    HI LOI

    Just a question: how did you feel at the time you captured this? Were you taken with that golden light, however subdued but still visible in your OP, and which you can enhance or bring back ( see Steve's RP), can you recall the tension there from this animal as he was moving in front of your eyes, so gracious, the gaze, the focus, the concentration, need to kill, need to eat, will to survive...

    Are you really going to throw this to the bin, my friend? Love what you captured here, you took this frame for a reason... I too think it is a keeper, just give it some "emotion", some of that colour or warmth which must have been there when you saw it - well done in seeing and capturing this Loi, I cannot wait to see the rest of your images, bring them on!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Nice angle and light here Loi - Steve's repost nails it for me.
    Perhaps with the lack of eye contact, opt for a monochrome conversion?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    I just got back from a trip to Mashatu and managed to see this cheetah and her cubs on a few occasions. Having seen her a few times, I'd agree that this image captures her essence (at least in the early mornings) - almost always on the move or on the lookout for the next meal for her unusually large cheetah family. I think the warmth of Steve's repost compliments it nicely.

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