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Thread: Face to Face

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Default Face to Face

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    OK, just to add one more into the collection of this months theme, some awesome postings to date folks and real pleasure to view & comment on and I hope/trust both Rachel & Morkel feel the same way!

    This is the female Rachel & I spent time with one morning in the dense bush habitat and where we also bumped into Dumay again. Sadly both her & the cub were never scene after our encounter which is very sad indeed as both Mum & Cub gave us a tremendous show and a real privilege too.

    Light was a little flat being in the shade, but with a lighter background where the light penetrated the canopy, so i've just balanced things out to how I wanted to portray the frame. The face IMHO clearly states/conveys who is boss. I deliberately shot tight and wanted more of a frame filler here, but the amount of time spent on this encounter meant we could shoot a whole raft of images in so many ways.

    I'm not going to do a clean up on the light foliage by the ear, or the darker branch LHS, it looks to manicured and there is no real need, the location is what it is and IMHO doesn't detract.

    Thanks for either viewing or commenting on the previous image.

    Steve

    Subject: Leopard (Panthera pardus) head shot, face only
    Location: SA
    Camera: Canon 1DX
    Lens: 500f/4 MKII locked down onto the Uniqball head set-up
    Exposure: 1/250s at f/11 ISO3200
    Original format: Landscape, very slight crop
    Processed: LR6 2015 & PS CC2015

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    Hi Steve, this is a powerful portrait, superb head-on pose, those eyes are just terrific and engaging. I like the tight crop (I like to shoot that way too) and the OOF foliage does not distract one bit! Stunning sharpness and detail with nice accurate colours. Wonderful in every way. TFS. These are such amazing creatures, sad to know they weren't found again. I wish and pray we humans give them a chance and leave them some habitat/land to lead their lives.
    TFS.

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    Hi Steve -- Excellent image with nice choice of DOF . superb details as always , i too dont find the foliage distracting . the blood on the whiskers is certainly a positive addition to this wonderful image . TFS !

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I wish and pray we humans give them a chance and leave them some habitat/land to lead their lives.
    Sanjeev, I feel things can only get worse, and that our ever increasing population will only encroach more & more into our animals own habitat, with only one ending.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Steve - I think you nailed this one of Kwela Kwela. Such an intense and piercing look, it sort of goes against how relaxed she actually was with us. She spent a lot of that morning as a flat cat even with her cub around. It really is a shame that they "disappeared" not too long after this.

    Btw I agree on this month's theme. It has been another strong month.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Steve this is so nice ..... very well done in both environments for the given tech circumstances .
    You have a nicely separated subject and the BG is no distraction at all , it is as is at times . Superb colors and tones combined with the expected detail .

    Just for the sake of interest , you say to others push that Iso but yourself are not pushing your Dx to the limits ..... as there is so much more Iso available m, and you you are able to deal with ........ just push it for more SS or DOF .
    As you took the 500 to its limit at F 11 and do not have all pin sharp ( tip of the nose does fall off in sharpness slightly and it would have been a bit better to have a bit more DOF maybe towards the base of the ears , well this is all theoretically Maestro , i do not if f 16 would have helped .
    Well next time use shorter lens and just close that aperture !!! and go closer , LOL , donīt be shy .

    A very decent image Steve , i like it .

    TFS Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Andreas, remember this was a year ago and my style has changed from what I have learnt. Personally I'm happy with the DoF and sharpness, as the eyes to the tip of the nose is sharp, the ears I'm happy to let drift off. Remember this is a mum with a cub and so what's the Golden rule here?

    Well next time use shorter lens
    Indeed, if it hasn't got impact then get closer, but I think you might be pushing your luck by entering into the comfort zone and I want to review what I've shot, not the ranger.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Steve you got me wrong , i would be more than happy with the shot as is , no question . Sharpness is spot on as it should be .
    Going closer not a good idea , thought you took this with a . No , well keeping the distance is the better way for both the photog and the subject , so well chosen kit !!!

    the DOF, well if you can get the tip of the nose as sharp as the bridge of the same then this gives the image a tiny bit more to make it different to others , at least for me . And again this was really nit picking former side .

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    Your depth of field makes the image, tip of the nose to the eyes sharp with the focus falling off towards the ears. The eyes are piercing and draw the attention, I have seen that same stare from the cats I have at home (much smaller but the same stare). Lovely image, Steve. Thank you for sharing.
    Joe Przybyla

    "Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams

    www.amazinglight.smugmug.com

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Very nice, Steve.
    I agree, great posts to view and comment on during this month.
    I think you can add some LCE/midtone punch here to improve it as presented, without choking the blacks of course?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Good evening Steve,

    My apologies for coming in so late, saw the thumbnail the other evening but was unable to download and view properly on the big computer due to slow Internet. Month end at work and working flat out, evenings we are preparing for the upcoming Kruger trip, a bit frustrating as I miss my "BPN time" but I must make sure to pack everything, LOL:) Don't like to comment on images too late, I am often tempted to read comments from the other members and then "notice" things I haven't seen in the first place. So these are my thoughts without reading the above:

    I find this image quite gripping, because of the stare from the leopard and the eye contact, nothing sweet and gentle about the subject and she is very "businesslike" and in control of the situation. Lovely colours and amazing detail where it matters most, I like the DOF here, this is well exposed and great detail on the eyes, nose and chin (I can actually count those hairs!) Despite what you describe as rather "flat light" there's a pleasing warmth about this image I quite like, the detail is fantastic and so is the BG, the presence of vegetation does not bother me one bit, just part of the environment and certainly not overwhelming.

    One of your loveliest close-ups of this wonderful species Steve, I can only hope for a sighting like this some day. I read your exif as well as introduction with much interest, it might come in handy soon:)

    Thank you so much for sharing,

    Have a lovely evening,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thank you Gabriela, I appreciate the reply as I know your time is oh so precious this week. Just remember, Exif is only info, there are a lot of other variable too, if we both shot the same image side by side we would have different images.

    Have fun.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Indeed Steve:)

    I will take care of those "variables" as well as I can over the next two weeks:) Looks like rainy weather for a day or two when we arrive in the Kruger and then some sunshine in the days to come. Hope some sightings too:) The last time I saw a leopard in Kruger I had to look at him through another car's windows. I am not used to that

    A bit rusty, have not taken any images for some time now, looking forward to some experimenting...If the Park is too hectic we shall look for the quieter roads, maybe do some landscapes, look for insects, dung beetles:)

    Keep well Steve, thank you again for this beautiful leopard

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  14. #14
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, I really hope you have a lovely time, you'll soon get into that saddle when the animals come out to play, just have the camera set to some basic setting.

    Happy hunting, chill and overall, have fun.

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