Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Environmental portrait of leopard at dusk

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hyderabad, India
    Posts
    5,088
    Threads
    1,356
    Thank You Posts

    Default Environmental portrait of leopard at dusk

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thi is another of my favourites from my Okavango and Chobe trips. This was late in the evening after sundown where the leopard sat down on his "throne" looking out at his territory. I have given him the title 'the Prince of Okavango'!I kept the little bit of sky in just to give depth and to show the light conditions. Hope you like it.
    5D III
    100-400 II at 271mm
    1/20 (yes thats right}
    f/5
    ISO 3200
    Appreciate your comments on my earlier image. I am grateful to you all and BPN for helping me come this far!

  2. #2
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Sanjeev, I was going to post a Leopard this evening, however I am going to hold back until tomorrow.

    I feel with your current posting and last few images, they deserve respect, you have been well rewarded with the sightings, you have had a huge amount of enjoyment from them, therefore, let us all enjoy those moments too, and reflect, ponder and just appreciate this gorgeous animal.

    I will add my feedback tomorrow.

    TFS

  3. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,738
    Threads
    455
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Dear Sanjeev,

    I completely agree with Steve above, I might even go further and say your leopard images are some of the best I have seen on BPN Wildlife lately - so Congratulations my friend!!!

    This is beautiful in every way, I really have to look hard to find something to "nitpick", love the pink light here and the pose of the leopard as well as the inclusion of environment, this is nice and sharp and the IQ is great.

    Only one small problem for me: the sky. I quickly downloaded this and cropped from the top the blue section, and although I do understand you wanted to include every bit of the environment, I still believe removing the sky would benefit this image tremendously. This, for few reasons: a lot of elements are present in the frame: leopard, tree trunk, grass, flowering stem, branch on the LHS. They all work for me, but they do add more colour and a tad of distraction - a good distraction. The sky is just too much, adds a very different colour to the whole frame, and at the same time there's too little of it, so to speak. Please try cropping from the top Sanjeev, no problem if you do not like it and it's just a suggestion from me, I am viewing with fresh eyes and not influenced by what was there at the time, looking at this from purely aesthetic POV and I might be wrong but just give it a try:)
    Superb image, I really look forward to what Steve and everyone viewing have to say, again I wish to congratulate you for delighting us with such wonderful images this month, great work in the field as well as PP work! I thank you Sanjeev

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  5. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post
  6. #4
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Sanjeev - I can only echo that your recent posts are some of your best. I like the inclusion of the environment. Just wish the flower stalk didn't look like it was coming out of the head. If it were mine I would reduce the reds particularly on the tree and termite mound. Keep them coming.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  7. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post
  8. #5
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hi Sanjeev, when I first saw this my initial thought was about the overall colour, not the techs, as to me, in this instance you did the best you could. Yes, a 2.8 lens would have been better and going to 6400 would have also helped, but...

    The more I look at it, that 'magenta' coloration is close I think to the setting day, however perhaps in the PP you may have added, boosted colour to enrich the scene, or the WB just needed a slight tweak further before starting, I'm not sure, the OP isn't far off in terms of a mid grey so... If you take your OP and try to adjust it's hard and perhaps wrong to do so in this instance without seeing the original to really know in which direction to go. You may find that changing the WB options gives you a better starting point, or even a better looking image and more creative if required.

    Saying the above, I did take the liberty of taking a look, probably have gone too far, but I think it has shown you can get more from within the original capture, if anything. I added a ND filter just to darken the top and used channels & masks to boost the overall depth & saturation of the BKG to add some more separation between subject & BKG, but took the colour out of the facing subject, however this could well be incorrect. In creating more tonal depth in the FG I retained the original coloration to a degree, as I think/feel it looks more faithful in my eyes, but that is only my interpretation, you were there and have the RAW to compare so the above and attached could be so way off. If you have the new PSCC the flower is an easy removal, but again your call on that particular manipulation.

    Once again, thank you for sharing your experiences, images and love of these great encounters.

    Steve

  9. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post
  10. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Nagpur, India
    Posts
    3,837
    Threads
    245
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Sanjeev -- i saw this one on planetwildlofe website in your blog and instantly felt that this is a top class image ! agree with above comments regarding the amazing leopard images that you have treated us with. this is another beautiful image with superb light and colors . I totally liked both the versions your OP has totally a different feel with beautiful colors as well as Steve's RP looks fantastic with altogether a different feel to it . TFS !

  11. #7
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Sanjeev another fine frame of this Leopard .
    I actually prefer the softness in tone and colors in your OP vs Steve īs .
    If you have more sky i would even show more , Sanjeev .

    Steve - your version does look too processed to me , considering this is taken at low light with the sun already gone , so contrast will be quite low . Colors....well many times the WB is or could be matter of taste , but if the light is that funny i would leave the mid grey point where it is ..........and would make the WB as per my gutt feeling !
    Saying this is just my personal view .

    Again Sanjeev i like this as presented , nice work my friend .

    TFS Andreas

  12. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post
  13. #8
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Steve - your version does look too processed to me
    Indeed, but I do think the OP is lacking something?????

  14. #9
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Not for me !!!!!

  15. #10
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A stunning shot, Sanjeev! I agree with Steve, you've come such a long way...

    I love this kind of light, post sunset, when everything looks so rich. I prefer your OP to Steve's RP, the colours look more like what I experience during these times, and the overall feel has to be rich and saturated due to this kind of light (which is reddish by nature). Good sharpness at 1/20! I might have been tempted to go 1/40 ISO-6400 just for more sharpness should the subject move?
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  16. Thanks Sanjeev Aurangabadkar thanked for this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics