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Thread: Mouse Killer (C)

  1. #1
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Friends,

    Forgive me for not commenting on your lovely images tonight - will do so in a day or so! I decided to share something instead, just to show you I am still around. A few commitments kept me away from my computer for the past few days but I shall be back soon.

    Meanwhile...here's a little predator for you, image taken some time ago when this cute little character was still going through rehabilitation at a private reserve nearby. It was not easy to capture this moment as my subject was not fed in front of the camera. I had to run after him as he was chasing live prey and got there just in time to capture this.

    This serval has since made his way into the wilderness and has not been seen again, hopefully he is well and has his own family by now:)

    Nikon D4
    Nikon 300mm F4
    ISO2500
    F6.3
    1/1250s

    Wishing you a wonderful week ahead,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela - It's great that they were able to successfully rehab and release the serval. This is a nice portrait and the prey adds to it. Nice sharpness and techs. There's a slight cyan cast to the whites. An easy fix.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, great 'mouse killer' could do with her over here for the owls.

    The BKG setting is unusual and I like that, what is it? I feel you could have gained a bit more DoF, perhaps f/8, the ear looks really sharp, but the eye/bounty lacks the same degree of clarity/sharpness, but that might just be the compression & resize? I think the gaze looking away is better that head on, you have that feeling of 'observing' her.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Now Gabriela you promised me some Mice but not dead ones ,I personally would be very pleased with this,texture and detail on the fur looks lovely.That pink Bg sets it all off beautifully.Pleased about a successful release,but watch out you Mice.

    Keith.

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    Hi Gabriela -- This is a fantastic frame . Lovely details and the side on pose works . The BG helps in elevating the subject , another lovely frame from you . TFS !

  6. #6
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you so much Rachel, Steve, Keith and Haseeb,

    A success story indeed, this Serval's rehabilitation:)

    I had a look at the image with fresh eyes and saw the colour cast, thank you Rachel for pointing it out and here's my attempt to fix it. Should have gone back to the Tiff file but due to time constraints I made the changes in the Jpg.

    Steve, the BG is - I am afraid - an old wall with some vegetation growing against it. So DOF in this case a bit of a compromise, I did not want this man-made element to become too obvious. Sharpened a tad more those areas on the face, WDYT - too little, too much? I had the same feeling about the pose, loved the gaze, reflective somehow, "what-to-do-with-the-mouse, shall I play some more or go ahead and devour it"...I particularly liked the way the serval held the pray in its mouth, a delicate grasp rather than a grip, a trophy not yet food.

    Keith, I have more than a mouse for you, in fact a Brandt's Whistling Rat and to me one of the cutest KTP rodents, but I still have to get to that folder. Sorry, I thought I'd stick to predators this month:)

    Haseeb, I hope you are not disappointed with the man-made BG:) I prefer my subjects in a natural environment but this was too special not to share.

    Warmest regards to you all and thank you again for taking the time to view and comment
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Gabriela, as I have said before, as this stage it's 'perceptual' sharpening, the key is - is the RAW sharp where it needs to be? If the subject is far enough away from the BKG you would have been OK to increase the DoF, or just a simple fix at the PP stage if you wanted too.

    loved the gaze, reflective somehow, "what-to-do-with-the-mouse, shall I play some more or go ahead and devour it"...I particularly liked the way the serval held the pray in its mouth, a delicate grasp rather than a grip, a trophy not yet food.
    Nicely phrased.

  8. #8
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Steve, thank you. I will take a look at the RAW again, and also check FP

    I really really liked the way the serval held the mouse there, glad you noticed too:)

    Have a wonderful evening,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    The wall colour does offset the serval nicely, despite it not looking to naturally fit in.
    Great framing here, and exquisite detail Gabriela.
    Good to know this one is back in the wild!
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you so much Morkel, appreciate it
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hello you lovely person

    Gabriela,first up thanks for sharing his story,I too hope he's doing great,it's always heart warming to me that there are success stories in wild rehabilitation especially such a special cat. So thanks not only for sharing him ,but his successful return. All credit to the folks that made this possible.

    Ha so many mice lovers here this must have tugged abit at your heart,but what a super capture. I'm amazed that you managed this after chasing him that is utterly wonderful.
    The picture,well what can I say pink again ,I'm joking mate, but doesn't it work. Gabriela the detail is stunning for my eyes, I too am taken by his distant gaze "what is he thinking?", your comments beautifully worded as Steve mentioned. Comp is wonderful i'm lost for words really kiddo,have little of anything left in me now ,but wanted to say Hi and I LOVE this.

    Take care
    stu

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Sweet, thank you Stu, more predators coming up and perhaps some more mice as well. I think I might have managed to cover both "Predators" as well as "Rodents" theme this month, LOL.

    Regarding chasing... I am not as fit as I would like to be, so I made sure to have enough shutter speed, just in case my hands were not steady enough:)

    Really appreciate your kind comments

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    what a brilliant shot you have here with kill ....love the details and subject.

    Love the RP also......
    TFS.

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  16. #14
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you so much, Ritesh - appreciate it

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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