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Thread: Serval

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    Default Serval

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    I have posted servals before but I don't think I have posted this one which I photographed in January in the Mara Reserve.

    7D; 100-400 @ 200mm; ISO400; 1/640 @ f10 Taking on board Morkel's comments about the sweet f spot in his 100-400, I'll try to avoid f10 on my next trip. Live and learn.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Great sighting Hilary, bet you were pleased to see this animal so close and to capture the whole body without any real obstacles cluttering the view. PP looks good, and as I have said before, it's all falling into place nicely.

    BTW if you do invest in the MKIV drop me a line and we will get it set up correctly and with a couple of neat little tricks too.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Steve, that would be fantastic, thanks. Any serval sighting is wonderful as you say, now I have to hope for one on my next trip which is doing something interesting!

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    now I have to hope for one on my next trip which is doing something interesting!
    Yep might be worth dropping a few people out there an email to get the ball rolling.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    A sighting which makes me green!!
    PP looks good...wish for more separation from BG but I know how high one sits in most of these vehicles...
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Always nice to see this special cat Hilary, agree on the DOF. Plus a bit more room all round perhaps.
    TFS


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    Marc, I have a little more room but with such an uninteresting environment I decided to crop but I'll have another look.

    Morkel, I agree with the separation. I tried getting lower but the cat was moving the whole time and I just ended up with too much grass across the face. Not sure how I would do it differently faced with the same situation as the grass wasn't long overall, just in clumps and wisps but of great nuisance. Fingers crossed that I'll see serval in the Serengeti with no grass!

    Thanks for the feedback everyone.

  8. #8
    Ken Watkins
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    For me this is a missed opportunity as you rarely get to see a Serval in the daylight.

    The image as is. cries out for more room in particular on LHS.

    The use of F10 is inexplicable,even if some of the older 100-400 were not necessarily pin sharp, this has resulted in much to much sharpness in the BG anda lack of separation.

    The light looks very harsh but this should be capable of correction.

    A slight bit more head turn would also have helped

    I would suggest going back to the RAW and reprocess using the many tools that are availble to you.

    Sorry to be so negative but that is how I see it.

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    Hillary, I kind of echo Ken, a lot larger aperture would been really nice.
    Very good capture, though, I like the FG grass, gives a sense of the environment without detracting from
    the animal.
    I just think a smaller DOF would have been nicer with less detail in the BG, but I realize that sometimes just getting the
    shot is important and worthwhile and this is one of those times.
    Last edited by dankearl; 10-18-2011 at 12:06 AM.
    Dan Kearl

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    BPN Viewer Pieter de Waal's Avatar
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    Very envious Hillary, one on my wish list as I have only seen Serval once. So nice to get it in the open like that and lovely striding and attentive pose captured with good detail and exposure on the Serval. TFS.

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    Thanks Pieter, seeing servals is always a surprise but this cat was distinctly uncomfortable with our presence and my guide and I decided on only getting a few images before leaving it alone. Fortunately we were able to move away from it before any other vehicles saw us and so I hope it had denned before being surrounded by too many people but being near Governor's you can never tell. I'm afraid the desire to get the perfect shot always takes second place to the welfare of the animal, for me, so if the images are less than perfect I don't really mind.

    Thanks Dan, I agree that a smaller aperture would have been nice but I think my comment above explains why I didn't persist. I looked at my time stamps and we spent less than 3 minutes with the cat which may seem ridiculous to some, but that's the way it is.

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    Hi Hilary,
    This serval is a very special sighting, so well done. My feeling is that we all would like better light, more seperation, a better background and so and so. Sometimes we have to make do with what we were given and I think you have done well. I would like some more space on the LHS if you have and to reprocess from RAW is a good idea, if only to improve your processing technique(s).
    Thanks for sharing with us.

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    Thanks Mark. I'll go back to the raw file and leave more walk in room and see what pp improvements I can make. Appreciate the feedback as always.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hilary - I'm jealous, sounds like a good sighting albeit short and kudos to you and your guide for recognizing the stress on the serval and putting its welfare first. Nice that you got the head clear of the taller grass and that you went wider to get the whole body in. I agree that a little more room in front would be preferable especially given its walking pose.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Thanks Rachel

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    I am loving this Hilary
    TFS

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