Simple camouflage

[Hilary Hann]

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya, 2008.
30D; EF70-200 f2.8 @ 200mm; ISO1600; f11; 1/3000
One of the Lewa coalition of 3 brothers which has held sway over the conservancy for many years. Quite fearsome hunters.

Experimenting with Steve's instructions for DuoTone and TriTone and although the original file was a bit small (shot in jpg due to a disk download malfunction meaning that we were running out of CF cards and no way to save them) I liked the tonings which brought out the waving grass, the form of the cheetah and the way the darker plants arced around the cat. Any C&C welcomed.

[Ken Watkins]

Hilary,

Interesting, but what does it look like in colour?

[Robert Amoruso]

I like the strong graphic look. The cat and the darker brush to its right make opposing diagonals in the image and help to guide the eye.

[Harshad Barve]

Lovely conversion here
TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Hilary, nice to see you playing and personally I feel it adds to the image, perhaps as shot might make it another 'me2' image.

As there are so many options in the range of 'colour ways' I think you just need to experiment as there might be a better option? I do like the composition & crop the only thing I might try to do is slightly lighten the really dark areas eye, nose and mouth as for me, the black is a bit strong. Trust you are enjoying things :D:D

TFS
Steve

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks everyone.

Ken, the colour is ok but doesn't add anything IMO.

Steve, just getting my head around the colour palettes and agree with you re the "me too" images so am keen to keep experimenting. Yes, having fun.

[Steve Kaluski]

Great, lets try to get a bit more diversity and thinking behind our images, but still having fun and enjoyment in what we do and how we convey things.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hilary - I think it's a successful experiment. Like the comp too.

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Rachel.

Steve, meant to say that there is little detail in the blacks, probably due to jpg capture.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Hilary, I must say I like the contrast between the cheetahs spots, and the texture and patterns created by the grass, nicely done. Think the non-colour version makes the best of this.
Thanks also for the reminders to do look at things a little differently, from Steve and yourself. Cheers
Grant

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Grant. BTW, ordered my new 5DMk2 today plus 2 new lenses....... :)

[Grant Atkinson]

Hilary, I think you are going to really enjoy the image quality of the 5Dmk2. Which are your new lenses?
cheers
Grant

[Hilary Hann]

100-400 (for the 7D instead of using the 300 +1.4TC) plus the 24-105 for the 5D for landscapes. I liked the 300 but ended up carrying that + 70-200 + shorter zoom and TC so thought I'd compromise for space and logistics. Plus I'm taking an extension tube for macros as I want to spend quite a bit of time with insects and other little things, especially in The Aberdares. Couldn't afford the macro lens I thought I needed! :D

I think this will work better out on drives, more flexibility and less changing of lenses in the dust. Tell you how it works in about 3 months.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I quite like the contrast and composition here Hilary...nice experimentation! Congrats on the new gear, I am very tempted to get a 5Dmk2 myself sometime...but that D3s I used earlier in the year still haunts me ;)

[Rachel Hollander]

Hilary - I think the 100-400 is very versatile for the safari vehicle. It has been my go to lens for my safaris. Congrats on the new gear!

Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

but that D3s I used earlier in the year still haunts me

Morkel, all the buttons are in the wrong place:D:D:D

[Hilary Hann]

I tried out some Nikons belonging to one of our staff members and really loved the feel of it … but changing over from one brand to another is soooooo expensive when you have lots of gear already, which is why I stuck with Canon. I guess that is where I'll stay for now.