Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300 f2.8 IS I, handheld. S/Speed 1/400s, f/5.0, Iso 640. +0.33 exposure comp. Ai Servo, Metering Evaluative. Photo taken just after sunset, Tubu Tree camp, in the Okavango Delta. Processed in ACR6 and CS5.
cheers
Grant
Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300 f2.8 IS I, handheld. S/Speed 1/400s, f/5.0, Iso 640. +0.33 exposure comp. Ai Servo, Metering Evaluative. Photo taken just after sunset, Tubu Tree camp, in the Okavango Delta. Processed in ACR6 and CS5.
cheers
Grant
Hi Grant, good to see you back and av ery nice opening image. Trust this year will not be so labour intensive for you.
Love the pose and relaxed feel, with the gaze behind you rather than direct to camera. If you have it I would have like a tad more space at the foot, so the elbow wasn't hitting the edge, plus I do find it rather 'heavy' with regard to the blacks. A little minus Contrast, Levels - middle slider a fraction to the left and some Shadow/Highlight on the face & body I think just brings the image up nicely and shows the IQ that there is in the image. Is this another from a previous posting?
In addition and I think this might be worth a look at the RAW file, but the edge of the tree going vertically up hitting the LHS, there looks to be a hint of chromatic aberration, ditto along the RHS of the Leopards head, you will see a 'blue' line that runs parallel along the edge. Easily fixed in LR or PS, but you will need to find it and setting the required fields to do so. Drop me a line if you are struggling.
Looking forward to seeing more as I know there is a raft to come.
TFS
Steve
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
I had commented but my computer bombed out and now Steve's beat me to the punch
Good to see you posting again, Grant!
I love this sharp portrait - just the right DOF for me. IQ high as usual.
I too rue the elbow touching the frame, but not a deal-breaker at all for me...
I see the CA that Steve's referring to. An easy fix.
Looking forward to more!
Grant,
I agree with the above and decided to post a re-processed image. I felt it needed some more POP.
1) Levels - pulled highlights to clipping and then used middle slider to lighten image.
2) Curves - Linear Contrast preset.
3) Selective Color - Blacks +11, Neutrals -11, Whites +2, this helps to strengthen the impact of the neutral colors.
Thanks for the comments and critiques and repost/suggestions Steve, Robert and Morkel
I will revisit the RAW file with the new suggestions. Morkel, I do have more space below as this is a 13mp crop of a 16mp frame. However, if I lower the crop to include the bottom of the 'elbow" I end up getting a small and irritating bright patch of sky appearing under the tree branch on the right side?
Thanks again
cheers
Grant
Hi Grant,
I love those hypnotic eyes great IQ and beautiful Leopard.
VPN
Hi Grant - I echo the nice to see you posting again. I trust your transition is going well. Gorgeous subject with a very regal pose. Maybe somewhere in between your OP and Robert's repost.
TFS,
Rachel
I like Roberts repost re lightness..Great classic pose. Were you very close? I seem to see the nose and whiskers being sharper than the eyes and ears, was the nose the focal point? I understand the DOF at f5 is minimal for very close. Otherwise a very appealing image, shes a beauty! TFS Grant
great image Grant and RA took this over the top
TFS
Hi Grant a nice pose and I like the POV you have with this image. I also prefer the lighter version posted by R.A.