Just one of many frames from a delightful encounter with this beautiful creature, near Kwetsani Camp in Botswana last February. It was an overcast and slightly drizzly morning. Almost FF (93% of full width).
Hi Steve. Yes, Tonal Contrast at around 35%. As I did so, I thought "Steve may not like this". Because of the dull light conditions the Cheetah felt to me as if she needed a bit of punch; just my personal preference (perhaps derived from avian photography where the bird often occupies a smaller patch of the landscape). I think I recall from an earlier discussion that your preference is to have the subject fit more softly into the landscape.
Hi Bill, now you are making me feel guilty before I have even added my feedback. However, if you do like using NIK then you may like what may happens in June if things are correct. Originally when NIK did come out it was a good product, but from images posted in Wildlife with the various 'effects' the images were hammered or destroyed and in fact, many were better off without it. So do I like it, well it has it's place, but in a very 'controlled' way IMHO and since it's lunch there are perhaps better products out there which supersede it, but if folk are happy then fine.
And so to the image...
Being higher up you have managed to avoid the grasses over the face and the shooting angle isn't that steep which is nice. There is room around the image, perhaps a fraction more, but not a deal breaker. Your techs always look right and keep to a good SS. For me, because you have used TC albeit in a reduce way, it still I think conflicts with the sharpening and overall appearance, blacks look heavy and the sharpening in the face crunchy amplified by the ISO too. Again this is just my take and if you are happy then fine. If however the 'contrast' is reduced and you let the overall sharpness, mid tones and 'perceptual' sharpening come through, then the image looks cleaner, but still conveying that overcast feel. If you wish to tweak the grass too, with some simple colour adjustments, again more detail & clarity comes through IMHO, but again it's just my thinking here Bill.
From recollection I have rarely seen a Cheetah in the Kwetsani area, it's mainly been the well know Leopard 'Beauty' who I had a huge soft spot for, but certainly the concession is a Birders paradise with some are species.
Attached is purely for comparison, not ideal because i'm trying to remove/reduce the TC.
Thanks Steve. I'll agree that the blacks probably do look a bit more natural in your repost, and the grass is better. I did crop just a bit off the left to remove part of a scrub palm that I found distracting, but I agree a little more room on the left wouldn't hurt (without the palm). I appreciate your thoughts. Unfortunately we missed "Beauty" when we were at Kwetsani, although others managed to see her.
I guess Bill, old habits die hard with me and my background, however if 'we' are happy with the end results then that is all that matters.
Unfortunately we missed "Beauty" when we were at Kwetsani, although others managed to see her.
WOW I thought she had departed this earth, she used to bring her cubs into camp for safe keeping and then go out hunting. We were very privileged one time, many years back, she just had a cub which no one had seen, we were then very fortunate that on that game drive she chose that day to introduce us to the new arrival.
I like that there are still droplets on her face, Bill. Steve has given some good feedback, as I initially thought the OP looked a tad crunchy in the fine details.
I also like the clearer eyes in the repost, as it's so tough to get that amber showing without highlighting it later if not taken in golden light.
I really like the pose from this cheetah, very well captured and nice framing too. Techs are spot on The OP does appear a little contrasty and I do like the way Steve has "lifted" things a bit and brought more detail to those lovely eyes.
Been your discussions with Steve above and smiling, just remembered thinking the same some years back when I started playing around with NIK: "Steve will see it and give me a hard time". Which he did, and to this day I am grateful for it
I enjoyed viewing Bill, would it be possible to see more from this encopunter ? Happy to see you posting here, many thanks for sharing!
Hi Bill -- I am pretty late on this but i liked the image and Steve has already given some nice suggestions and his RP is a big improvement as well . I would love to see more of your images here at wildlife forum .
Thanks Gabriela and Haseeb. The primary focus of my Botswana adventure was birds, but I couldn't help but grab some frames of the beasties. I'm sure I can find a few more to share.