Registered: February 2011 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 1,815
Young male leopard, photographed after sunset, Mashatu, Botswana.
In processing in Adobe Camera Raw, cropped, used Adjust brush to lighten, sharpen, add clarity, and slight warming tone to cat only. Still in ACR, warmed image slightly to combat blueish tones, opened in PS, sharpened lightly leopard face only, toned down white patches on fur that were a bit bright, and also warmed one area where blue cast coming through. The very young male leopard/subadult is quite central in this comp, but as he was looking directly at me I feel it works. I did take some vertical frames when he adopted a more head-on approach, which positioned his tail directly behind him and out of sight.
Registered: October 2009 Location: Madikwe reserve Posts: 3,425
Great image Grant! Angle makes this for me. Well done.
------------------------------ It's not about What you do... but how you do it!
Wed 16/5/2012 11:25
Jacques de Klerk Frequent Member
Registered: January 2009 Location: Kenton-on-sea Posts: 7,280
Great approach angle VVWD
------------------------------ _______________________________________
Jacques de Klerk
Wed 16/5/2012 12:14
Michael B New Member
Registered: May 2012 Location: Gauteng Posts: 706
The angle & eye contact holds ones attention, nice & sharp and central compositin works well here - really enjoy your work Grant
Wed 16/5/2012 12:21
Johann Visser New Member
Registered: January 2011 Location: BLOEMFONTEIN Posts: 81
Great image and angle.
Wed 16/5/2012 12:24
Grant Atkinson Frequent Member
Registered: February 2011 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 1,815
Thanks Laura, Jacques, Francois and Michael B, for your time and comments. Glad to hear your opinion on comp Michael, the form of the leopard from this angle doesnt match that well with a 3:2 ratio camera sensor, but I hoped his tail would offset the 'too-central' feel, and his face is not central in the vertical sense..
Thanks again
cheers
Grant
Registered: June 2009 Location: Pretoria Posts: 18,460
Pin sharp and perfect low angle.
To be honest I am chewing a little on the comp. The image is definitely strong enough to break rules. As much as I very seldom like square crops I wonder if it won't work on this image? One can get some good focus points on the golden spiral in this image as a square.
Purely subjective opinion and it might not work at all. I would love this image exactly as it is in my collection.
VWD Grant
------------------------------ Die lewe is sommer net lekker
Wed 16/5/2012 17:28
Jamesbg New Member
Registered: July 2005 Location: Paulshof Posts: 1
Super image Grant. Love the comp and the direct eye contact. Well done.
Wed 16/5/2012 18:59
Rudi van den Heever Frequent Member
Registered: November 2008 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Posts: 6,352
Top stuff Grant!! Amazing what one can do in ACR alone!
------------------------------ "What an awesome privilege to view the wonderful detail of God's creation through a man-made lens..."
----- ----------
Wed 16/5/2012 19:11
Francois Retief Frequent Member
Registered: March 2010 Location: Johannesburg Posts: 5,377
An Awesome shot - just love it !!!
Wed 16/5/2012 19:21
Colin Pym Frequent Member
Registered: October 2009 Location: Cape Town Posts: 2,260
Awesome shot, love the clarity and tones, great work!
------------------------------ Colin Pym "If you want truly to understand something, try to change it"
Wed 16/5/2012 19:32
Grant Atkinson Frequent Member
Registered: February 2011 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 1,815
Thanks Colin, Francois, Rudi, Pieter DW (and you are right Pieter, the square crop will work fine on this shot, but I am not a big fan of that approach, unless there is a need for it to fit somewhere square. I do have space above, a little below and on sides, so that is an option for sure, as is a vertical crop though it leaves a bit too much space above). Thanks also James, Craig, Michael and Jason for taking out time to look and comment.
cheers
Grant
Registered: November 2008 Location: Pretoria Posts: 988
Wow - this one looks into ones soul
Wed 16/5/2012 20:51
Gerrit Bastiaanse Frequent Member
Registered: July 2006 Location: Durbanville Posts: 3,585
Superb image, love it
------------------------------ Gerrit Bastiaanse
C1DX,C7D, C600F4L IS USM II, C16-35F2.8L II, C24-105F4L IS USM, C70-200F2.8L IS USM II, C580EXII, C1.4XIII
Thu 17/5/2012 03:26
Bushbuck Member
Registered: August 2010 Location: UK Posts: 1,595
Superb shot of a gorgeous creature! I agree with Pieter that the composition is a bit too central - it is the empty space on the right that bothers me slightly. Overall you can probably get away with it, as the pose & direct eye-contact are so strong. However, if it was mine I'd definitely try the squarer crop. VWD!
Thu 17/5/2012 06:00
Pieter Venter Frequent Member
Registered: December 2009 Location: Amanzimtoti Posts: 5,879
Super image Grant. I too think you did the best in terms of comp and the eyes grab the attention and prevent the viewer from looking to far away from the leopard. Great work as usual.
Thu 17/5/2012 06:46
Rating: 10.00
muller dirker Frequent Member
Registered: March 2006 Location: Stilbaai Posts: 3,282
Grant,this is one of the best I've seen.Thanks for the opportunity to have a look at a super cap that shows creativity that can be benchmarked and thank you for the very good information which will be helpful to all of us.
------------------------------ Never follow the croud; you will never get further than the crowd.
The man who walks alone will find him in places no one has ever been. One of these days the crowd will leave me ........
Thu 17/5/2012 07:35
Basil Dardagan Frequent Member
Registered: March 2008 Location: Pretoria Posts: 4,108
Typical you Grant - In a class of its own !
Thu 17/5/2012 09:26
Christo Kruger Frequent Member
Registered: April 2010 Location: Polokwane Posts: 459
Love the intense look in his eyes Grant, detail is superb, paw in the air is an added bonus. Top notch!
------------------------------
Thu 17/5/2012 11:40
deepak.d Frequent Member
Registered: February 2010 Location: germiston Posts: 4,184
Stunning posture captured with great low angle. Awesome shot !
Thu 17/5/2012 19:06
Grant Atkinson Frequent Member
Registered: February 2011 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 1,815
Thanks Deepak, Christo, Basil, Muller, Pieter, Bushbuck, Gerrit and Pauline, for taking the time to look and comment. I do appreciate the comments, and your point concerning the comp is taken Bushbuck, along with Pieter. I do have some space above and to the sides in the original shot, so could do a square crop if need be.
Thanks again for the feeback
cheers
Grant
Registered: September 2008 Location: St Francis Bay Posts: 3,463
Great angle and eyes, lovely image,Grant.
Fri 1/6/2012 20:21
Jeff Derx Frequent Member
Registered: March 2010 Location: London Posts: 2,729
lovely image Grant,great IQ.The comp works for me,love it
Thu 28/6/2012 07:08
Mark Drysdale Gallery Moderator
Registered: January 2010 Location: Joburg / Dullstroom Posts: 5,641
The eye contact, lower approach of the leopard, and paw position make this image for me, would have liked the image with a bit more space on top, unless there is BG interference....
However as Pieter says would also love to have it in my collection as is.......
Print View
Show EXIF Info
