Hello everyone, sorry for my absence from the forum. I hope I have not missed too many wonderful posts.
Posting an image of a Tigress , arguably the biggest Tigress ( female) that I have encountered from this specie. This image is taken at Dudhwa national park where it is extremely difficult to sight a tiger and even if you do see one, it is unlikely that it would be a bold specimen to provide you with photo opportunities. The forest is breathtaking and I tried to keep it as much as possible in this frame. Also i too would have liked to eliminate that tree immediately behind the tigress's head but nothing I could have done abt it apart from a very tedious and tricky cloning job . But I still like it for the obvious reasons. I kept a bit reddish tinge as the green/cyan was getting too much for my taste .
DPP 4.8, PSCC 2019, WB, curves, levels, colour balance, selective colour , cloned out a couple of shiny branches and twigs in bkg, sharpening, cropped slightly at the foot.
Canon 1DX MK II, Canon 200-400mm , bean bag.
ss 1/800, f/5.6, iso 6400.
Looking forward for all your comments and suggestions be it of any nature.
Also i too would have liked to eliminate that tree immediately behind the tigress's head but nothing I could have done abt it apart from a very tedious and tricky cloning job .
Haseeb, it is what it is and so irrespective of the complexity in removing it, it should stay in, it's too much manipulation and folk seem to be **** bent on massive cloning, so I'm pleased you didn't. Saying that, I do like the light, albeit here I may either try to tone down, or... remove (yes) the HL on the top edge of the frame along with that leaf. Waiting to see if the Tigress would move into the centre I guess would have been your only option? I would also back off on the opacity of the FG vignette, however I think you could afford to loose some content going a bit more pano.
Overall I do like the framing and the negative space to the RHS as the track meanders/snakes through the forest.
Hi Steve , thank you for your detailed feedback, much appreciated.
What I really liked here was the forest and off course the elusive tiger from this part of India which is kind of dense canopied jungle and some mystery to it . Hence , a bit more emphasis on Tigress and using some vignette to bring more depth and focus on the subject which might have led to some extra FG vignette.
Originally the frame is a bit dark , and also the face of this tigress is a bit flat as compared to its coat. Given an opportunity to shoot again in these settings I would definitely expose it a bit more TTR.
Originally the frame is a bit dark , and also the face of this tigress is a bit flat as compared to its coat.
So can I conclude it was under exposed then Haseeb? The reason I asked was that it's a bit 'grainy/coarse' in it's appearance. Hard to advise based on this as perhaps opening the shadows, whites/HL's may have helped, but obviously by opening the shadows you introduce noise. Yes, it is at times a balancing act in situations like this, not quite the Caribbean with lovely skies and warm light.
What a proud specimen of this species, she is a beauty! And yes, enormous. Healthy and powerful Another lovely Tigerscape...And once again, the eye contact makes this image for me. What I also like is the way the light filters through those trees - just magic!
Nice timing and I gather it is probably your best frame from the lot, the Tigress must have turned around and walked away or simply crossed the path? I too am pleased you did not try remove the tree, it would be quite a job... And apart from that I really like the way it is lit up in places by those beams of light.
In terms of the vignette, I quite like the effect but do realise Steve is right, perhaps just lessen it a bit. Composition wise I would have liked more at the top and less at the bottom, but I do understand if you were trying to avoid the branch at the top.
Superb capture and super special, thank you for sharing. Colours look great by the way... We missed you here in the Wildlife Forum, welcome back Haseeb
What a unit of a tiger here. Like the composition with plenty of room around the tiger. I also like the road as well. The tiger really stands put against all the earth colored environment here. Nice one.
Haseeb I didn't know you had been away But I'm glad you are back ........ that tigress looks BIG. Haseeb thanks for the bit of back story it means so much to someone like me that doesn't know India. The placement of that tree is bothersome mate,but I'm also not a fan of it being cloned. the track drifting away into the forest and your framing still make this a lovely image. Like Gabriela I also like the way the light dances through the forest and on the problematic tree it must be said . I'm also not completely sure about the vignette I think the way the track leads one into the image gives a great feeling of depth and also focus to the tiger,so I don't think it's really needed
I would crop out that leaf or two top and center ...just the in focus one or is it two
Cool to see and read Haseeb TFS you make some wonderful Tiger images,
Really lovely image. I agree with most of the comments and suggestions above. I don't really mind the tree, but would aim to tame the one or two hot HLs on it, possibly by double processing? I really like the in focus leaves overhanging in the top right corner. It frames the scene really well. All in all a very solid image that shows the habitat well. TFS
Hi Haseeb, what a lovely frame, the forest indeed looks gorgeous and the huge tiger with the right head angle makes this special. Nice rich vibrant colours too. TFS.
Late to the party again I am not reading the previous. I like the composition, positioning of tiger and bright tree trunks. I think I would take a slice off the RHS, not much so you retain the pathway. I like the colours, the ISO for my camera would be high - for yours not so high. It ;looks a little gritty, perhaps you underexposed for the bright highlights??
I may be completely wrong but when I visit in November I hope to make similar encounters, if I do I will be relying on the tiger being still for a few seconds, that is when I will be pressing the shutter and using what you would regard as a dangerously low shutter speed...... just have to see!
Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions, as always much appreciated. I would look into that vignette and hls as pointed out.
@ Jon: I wish you have even better sightings in November, the forest will be vibrant and dense and the Big cat having that vibrant winter coat. But it could be a possibility that high iso would be required when the tiger is on the prowl either very early morning or late evening.
An Elusive Cat !
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Another lovely Tigerscape...And once again, the eye contact makes this image for me. What I also like is the way the light filters through those trees - just magic!
But I'm glad you are back
........ that tigress looks BIG. Haseeb thanks for the bit of back story it means so much to someone like me that doesn't know India. The placement of that tree is bothersome mate,but I'm also not a fan of it being cloned. the track drifting away into the forest and your framing still make this a lovely image. Like Gabriela I also like the way the light dances through the forest and on the problematic tree it must be said . I'm also not completely sure about the vignette I think the way the track leads one into the image gives a great feeling of depth and also focus to the tiger,so I don't think it's really needed 
