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Thread: Leopard Intensity

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Leopard Intensity

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    It has been a while since I posted a leopard shot. This is another one of the Vomba Young Male. Here he sat on a large termite mound to observe the area including us. We don't know if he knew that a warthog was using the same mound as a home. I know that some will object to how busy the bg is but that's where he sat.

    Canon 5D3
    300 II plus 2x III
    1/2000
    f5.6
    ISO 800
    Beanbag from safari vehicle, ff (I wish I had a little more below), levels, curves, selective color adjustments and sharpened in CCPS.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel
    Last edited by Rachel Hollander; 05-04-2015 at 02:36 PM. Reason: typo

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    Hi Rachel - In this scene the BG really is not that imp , the gaze of the leopard is catching the views attention , the right ear of the leopard appears a bit murkier to me then its left one . But i loved this image .

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    Great angle Rachel ,really gives a majestic feel to this image.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Hello Rachel,

    The POV is great - were you leaning against the termite mound at the time you captured this?

    Love the pose...not quite dreamy, more like " I'm gonna get you" - so much focus and intent from the subject. The crop and presentation works for me, not too tight at the bottom - I take it this is FF?

    Techs 100% Rachel so far as I am concerned, nothing you could do more about the BG as the leopard was lying against those branches. Sharpening is spot on, lovely warm tones. I see what Haseeb means about the Right ear, I personally believe it has to do with the DOF and positioning of the subject - had you gone for F6.3 or more it would have helped with the ear but those branches in the BG would be just too much, so good thinking and planning - a nice compromise

    PS I think he knew the warthog was there

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Haseeb, Charlene and Gabriela. Haseeb - I think Gabriela is correct that the ear is due to the dof. Gabriela - yes, this is ff.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, beautiful light and the side lighting gave depth to the leopard. Not much you can do about the BG. Loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, you should have popped the 1.4 on and cropped, easy with hindsight .

    The location is what it was and you know we tried to get better angles. I do think the 2x created to tight a comp and hasn't allowed for any fine tuning, as more below would be better. I like the off set gaze and the way he hunkered down. I know you love the luminosity layer and did not mention it in the info, but if you have applied it I think it has flattened down the colour and it's looking a little muted, need to view my images as a comparison. Techs look good, nice SS.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Loi and Steve. Steve - I think I was actually ok with the 2x here, I just needed to reframe the shot slightly with a couple of more inches below the back paw. This was when we rolled back while repositioning before going in closer for those tight head shots we both got. No luminosity mask here at all. Really very minor adjustments with perhaps just a bit warmer wb then some of the earlier images.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel
    Love the Leopard's gaze and your POV.
    Techs good to my eyes.
    I would crop from the top for a pano...
    He was real close...
    Just a thought, did you not have the 500 handy?
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andre. Btw I don't have a 500. Too heavy to carry.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Too heavy to carry.
    Not the MKII Rachel, it's only a little heavier than the 300f/2.8

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    I guess I consider almost 2 lbs (or a 40% weight increase over the 300II) to be significant and the difference between being able to handhold for long periods. But now we've gone off topic.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Cool pose/expression here and I like the colours Rachel.
    I'd crop more from top for a pano feel given the tightness at the bottom?

    Heading that way this weekend - hoping for some cats like this!
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Nice shot, nice stare, nice pose Rachel! I can smell the dust by just looking at this shot!

    I have not been around for a while due to personal circumstances so this morning I don't feel like critiqueing - I just want to sit back and absorb the fantastic shots coming from some of our forum members such as yourself. I'll have to return to some of them later today - sitting back and in no hurry, ice cold beer in the hand...

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Morkel and Tobie, much appreciated. Tobie, I hope you'll get back to posting soon.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, love your comp with the leopard 'draped' across the frame. Good eye contact, and I like the DOF with full focus on the head.

    You probably still have thousands of leopard images tucked away from your trip of last year.

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  24. #17
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Stu and yes, I still have plenty more.

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    Lifetime Member Ákos Lumnitzer's Avatar
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    Really excellent shot, even though a bit tight. Don't they wait so you can change a converter? Bummer!
    I love the inclusion of habitat, images like this have their place as much as the clean, smooth BG ones.
    If anything, since the ears were mentioned, I would have stopped down a bit more to try increase the DOF if it were possible at the time. Even if that meant getting a bit more definition of background elements. Since those are already there, it would not probably matter that much.
    Very well done! :)

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  27. #19
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Akos, much appreciated.

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