Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Leopard

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default Leopard

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Another leopard image from my recent trip. I purposely went for a narrow dof because I wanted the body to be oof as I shot down the body as she came closer. Again I converted this from the RAW in ACR without pp a color version.

    Canon 7D2
    300 II
    1/640
    f3.5
    ISO 800
    Monopod from vehicle, slight crop for comp, converted in ACR, curves, sharpened in PSCC.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Wonga Beach, FNQ
    Posts
    585
    Threads
    98
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The narrow DoF is good here. I find the crop awkward as the chin is too close to the bottom of frame given the direction of movement. Given you have no lower legs I would crop half-way between the top of the ears and the top of frame, so that the out of focus body extends from the top to bottom of frame to better frame the face.

  3. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    361
    Threads
    61
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Rachel, I think shallow DOF works well. Also like clean BG and hint of vegetation on the RHS. I also like the tonality of this image. Unlike most of your eye-level shots, this shooting down angle and crop reduces appeal of the image IMHO.

  5. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  6. #4
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    11,209
    Threads
    1,261
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Rachel ....i too like the narrow DOF , focusing on the head .
    Conversion does look ok to me , but would wish for a bit more punch in the mid tone range and 1/4 range .
    But the faming does not work for me .... due to the shooting angle , but bet not possible to go lower .
    Maybe cropping hared and loosing the top of the image might help.
    TFS Andreas

  7. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    405
    Threads
    30
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    It is certainly differant and well done for that. Not quite sure if i like it however I feel that Gregs crop suggestion will definately work well

  8. #6
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I will echo my original comments on the colour version here too Rachel ie shooting angle which folk have picked up on and the fact you would run out of DoF very quickly after these frames were taken as it gets closer. The crop is awkward and doesn't reflect the subject to it's best sadly. I'm hesitant about cropping too much if you were to print it, but for a RP it wouldn't hurt due to the posting size. For me there isn't enough contrast between the two main elements for B/W and perhaps it's because the general overall colour are shades of yellow?????

    TFS
    Steve

  9. #7
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks everybody. I'll take a look at the crop suggestion. Steve, this is a different image than the one previously posted in color but part of the same sighting/sequence. As I said in the intro, I did not pp this in color.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

  10. #8
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,287
    Threads
    2,653
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like the idea and it's a good one! Unfortunately the image does look like it was taken from a vehicle and this does not offer the best angle.

  11. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    10,421
    Threads
    1,708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I look right where the face is the shallow depth of field was a good choice. This would have made a nice vertical.

  12. #10
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks Jon and John - As you all surmised, there was nothing I could do about the shooting angle as she came close and turned along the vehicle. A couple of more steps and she was too close for the lens to focus.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

  13. #11
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hello Rachel,

    I am viewing this image and reading all comments with much interest because I just had a similar situation/encounter with a spotted hyena on my recent trip to Kruger. She came so close to the vehicle ( to the point that the lens could not focus) and started to chew on my camera support. I too did my best and pressed the shutter for as long as it was possible, but instead decreasing I decided to increase DoF as much as I could, careful not to lose too much SS - it was a bit of a gamble really, not sure it worked but I will know as soon as I get to look at that folder:)

    Back to your frame, the look on your leopard's face and those ears pointing back show a degree of weariness and determination - I would like to know, was she in pursuit of prey?

    I must admit I am also struggling a bit with the shooting angle here but having been in this situation I agree there was nothing you could do. Shallow DoF works here and the subject "melts" into the BG. Conversion looks good, nice detail where it matters, sharpness is there in good measure. A very special encounter you will always remember and I am glad you were able to capture the moment

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  14. Thanks Rachel Hollander thanked for this post
  15. #12
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Gabriela - Welcome back. She was just on her morning patrol. No prey nearby. She had a cub that was not with her so that might explain her quick movements through the area that morning. Yes, another option was to go for more dof but light was lower and you described what I envisioned in the field well, I wanted her face to be sharp and the body to sort of melt into the bg, giving an almost 3D effect to the image.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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