On the move

[Steve Kaluski]

This was a young female we found very early after leaving camp, around 6.30am and even then the light was strong. She was on the move, we thought on a hunt, until a small cub was sighted some meters behind, perhaps around 3-4 months old. It may have been that she was just moving the cub to a new spot, although we hoped it was to a kill, but soon both disappeared into thick bush and we did not wish to stress the cub out, so we left them to it.

Steve

Subject: Young female Leopard (Panthera pardus) with cub
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon 1DX MKI
Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4MKIII HH
Exposure: 1/1250s at f/5.6 ISO160
Original format: Landscape, slight crop from top, almost FF width
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2017

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Steve, a very nice image with subtle colours. Love the Leopard standing out amidst the grass & the OOF little one. TFS.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Steve,

What wonderful sighting, not one leopard but two! I bet it was awesome, despite the brevity of the moment. Love the eye contact, super timing:)

Nice composition and the presence of the cub in the BG brings balance to the frame, together with the green vegetation on the RHS. Light was harsh but image is perfectly exposed, colours look great.

Superb PP work as always... I must admit, I am a bit jealous of this:)

Warmest regards,

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - You handled the light well. I can't decide about the cub in the bg. The mom looks so good that I want the cub to look as good rather than oof. Obviously, you would have needed a lot more dof for that given the distance but at ISO 160 I'm wondering if you subsequently cranked it up to try for both in focus.

TFS,
Rachel

[Glenn Pure]

Great scene Steve, and beautifully captured. I like the ears-back look on the female. The soft neutrality of the grass and OOF cub also makes this.

[Steve Kaluski]

Obviously, you would have needed a lot more dof for that given the distance but at ISO 160 I'm wondering if you subsequently cranked it up to try for both in focus.

I doubt you could achieve it Rachel, the focus had to be on the female, plus as you can see, the grasses were in the way of the cubs face being lower, being taller the female managed to avoid the grasses. Also the shallow DoF was enough for her, but knocked everything else back, just providing enough shape & form of the cub to give linkage between the two.

[John Mack]

Love the look on the leopards face. The out of focus leopard is nice as well. Too bad about the bush on the right.

[keith mitchell]

Steve the laid back ears and the eyes make it for me just a bit different ,I also like the way the Leopard fades into that lovely grass,tecs as per usual spot on.

Keith.