Leopard In A Leadwood tree

[Grant Atkinson]

Canon 5Dmk2, 300mmf2.8is lens, handheld from vehicle. S/S 1/250 at f5.6, +0.33 exp comp, iso 400, Ai Servo, Eval metering. Location Savuti camp, 02 Dec 2010, 17h36pm. Processed in ACR 6 and CS5. I darkened the sky slightly and did usual tonal work. Cropped from 21mp to 10mp. Subject dist 14m.
This female leopard climbed a dead leadwood tree and caught sight of an approaching male leopard. That accounted for the intense stare. There were clouds about and the sky higher up was a darker shade than the brighter sky on the lower rhs of the frame.
She came down soon after this and moved off very quickly, with the male in pursuit.
All C and C welcome
Cheers
Grant

[Ken Watkins]

Grant,

Very nice indeed, you are so lucky to be where you are, I only manage around 2 months a year.

Pity about the sky but it must be getting towards rain up there now.

I amsure you will get some cropping suggestions but I think this works well.

[Rachel Hollander]

Grant - great pose. This doesn't appear as sharp as your usual posts so I'm wondering if the IQ has suffered from the crop or if another round of sharpening on the face is needed.

Still a sighting I'd love to have. When I've seen a leopard in a tree, it was at great distance. My up close sightings have all been on the ground or on the move.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Grant, yep love the pose and the tree, nicely done.

I really like the contrast between the almost monochromatic colour of the old, gnarled tree which has it's own character juxtapose to the vibrancy of the leopard, just looking & watching. No distracting leaves or mottled colouring. Wouldn't change the crop, looks good to me and having the bleached out sky I think works too, as it just gives a cleanness to everything.

Regarding the sharpness, you could just give it another round, as the techs aren't that off and I have been recently shooting Chaffinches at 1/40, pin, pin sharp with the 500, so Grant, having the the 5D & 300 is a good combination. Perhaps we can talk about some mounts for the vehicle that are inexpensive, but good to use, something I will bring out next year. :)

Rachel, think we need to organise a trip with you girls for a hoot after your 'Globe trekking' European trip, hey Grant, and share some of those Leopards LOL.:D

TFS
Steve

[Todd Frost]

Beautiful pose and comp. Steve put it well describing the contrasting colors. Agree on a bit more sharpening on the cat. Well seen and captured.
TFS
Todd

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks for the comments and looking. Rachel, the raw shot is sharp enough, but I did the web image in a rush, and did not do it well enough. Life of the guide:). Game drives get in the way of processing pics....
I will do the conversion again more slowly and with more care.
cheers
Grant

[Steve Kaluski]

I will do the conversion again more slowly and with more care.

Then pop a repost up when you have time Grant.

[Marc Mol]

Like the confronting pose here Grant within that knarly old Leadwood really enhancing here.
TFS

[Rachel Hollander]

Grant - I know what you mean. Seems that lately my life as a lawyer has been interfering with my hobbies :). Hope the guiding is going well and that you have all big tippers this holiday season. It's more important for you to shoot lots. You can always process later or during the wet season.

Steve - would loive it if we all organized a trip! I'm already feeling the pull of Africa so hopefully 2012. If I remember correctly, Hilary is going soon.

Best,
Rachel

[Harshad Barve]

Excellent pose by Leo here Grant and loving compo to , great suggestions already

G
Steve - would love it if we all organized a trip!

I guess most of you don't have tiger :D:D:D:D

[DanWalters]

Great pose. Like the surrounding trees and the fact everything looks really sharp.

[Andrew Aveley]

Leopard in a lead wood ! The african way :) great work !