I Hate Flies!

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Friends,

I promised to share more hyena images so here's another one. It was taken at the entrance of the den one early morning at 06:43 am when the other clan members were already out and about. Light was sparse, as you can imagine. Had we moved right near the den we would have had a good view of the cubs but you can imagine the POV... Had we backed off we would have not been able to see them, so we stayed in one place and hoped for the best. So here's little Peanut (I called him Peanut because he was smaller than the other cubs) very annoyed with a fly that landed above his nose. Behind him is mom who is resting and one of his siblings who just fell asleep after suckling.

Nikon D5
Nikon 500 F4
ISO 3200
F6.3
1/2000s

Image processed in LR and PSCC. Cropped about 50% of the original frame and added a slight vignette in LR to put more emphasis on Peanut. Hope you do not find the BG too distracting, or the frame itself too dark - I tried to be faithful to the lighting conditions at the time. in fact I wanted this to look as if it were inside the den

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week, many thanks for looking as well as your kind comments on my previous images, much appreciated!

Kind regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

This is absolutely gorgeous Gabriela, the subject has a lovely enchanting expression, great focus & detail, the light is priceless!

Not sure how you did the vignette, its choking a tad, but you can go greater, perhaps even get some more richness in the warmer areas and just add a wee bit more sharpening on the eye?

TFS
Steve

[John Mack]

Very nice. Like the stare down the little guy is giving that fly. Details look great and the light is right where it should be. The best one yet.

[Marc Mol]

Really nice Gabriela, the vignette and associated lighting suits the mood nicely, love the curiosity in the pose here, well seen indeed.

TFS

[Jonathan Ashton]

Knock out what a shot, this is competition material, I think it has just about everything going for it. Appeal is massive processing is excellent, composition looks ideal.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Steve, Jon, Marc and John,

Really glad you enjoyed looking at this little chap

Steve, the vignette was done in LR. That bit at the top of the frame looking very dark is mom's nipple, to its left the head of another little scoundrel who fell asleep after suckling. I am busy to RP and decided to darken further as per your suggestion, also warmed up those sunny patches and now working on the sharpening. Muzzle looks a tad soft I think, DoF issue and enhanced by heavy cropping. Will see what I can do to make it better

Whew, never thought you guys will like this so much, I would have shared it some time ago. I will show you some action from the Kruger hyena dens very soon

Hope you all have a nice evening,

[William Dickson]

I really love this one...The concentration and facial expression are priceless. Lovely detail and colours throughout. Very well done Gabriela..Every picture tells a story and you chose a good title to go with this lovely image.

Will

[haseeb badar]

A very unusual perspective Gabrieal , but i loved it . Especially that eye . Looks so cute and inquisitive at the same time . nice suggestions above .

Very nicely one .

TFS !

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you so much Will and Hasseb

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gaby, wishing you all the very best for 2019. Knowing how deep and dark Hyena dens are, you have the light so well placed in this image. Overall, well exposed, and you have brought out the fur on the cub so well. Im glad you left the strands of hair around the cub's fur, and the expression is priceless. Well captured.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hi Gaby, wishing you all the very best for 2019. Knowing how deep and dark Hyena dens are, you have the light so well placed in this image. Overall, well exposed, and you have brought out the fur on the cub so well. Im glad you left the strands of hair around the cub's fur, and the expression is priceless. Well captured.

Much appreciated, dear Stu! Glad to hear from you, and warmest wishes for 2019 to you and Colleen! We still have to have that meeting sometime... please remember to drop me a line if you are travelling this way

Warmest regards,

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Gabriela .... a priceless good concentrated look of that little guy , well seen and captured !!!
Whats not to like here , i do like the overall color , tone and darker approach . The BG is not distracting at all for me .
Very well done ...Sister !!!!
Just the vignette ........ is not mine , but if you like it then it is ok LOL.

Hope you have lovely weekend , TFS Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hi Gabriela .... a priceless good concentrated look of that little guy , well seen and captured !!!
Whats not to like here , i do like the overall color , tone and darker approach . The BG is not distracting at all for me .
Very well done ...Sister !!!!
Just the vignette ........ is not mine , but if you like it then it is ok LOL.

Hope you have lovely weekend , TFS Andreas

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Thank you so much, Boetie Andreas!

The vignette was meant to conceal the distracting BG ( mom's dark nipple and the other little fellow sleeping) as well as enhance the appearance/curvature of the den. I will try a version without it and see what it looks like
Thank you so much for adding your thoughts here, I really appreciate it. Hope you too have an awesome week-end

Kind regards from your African Sis'