Big Cat in a Big Tree x2

I think it is a unique image, but the tree itself IMHO distracts from the leopard since there seems to be alot in the photo to attract your eye. I like the expression on the leopards face and its pose in general. Also IMHO the larger image has more impact. I think this image needs to be large to get the full force of it. Thanks for sharing.

Lovely setting, thanks for sharing this beauty. I like the leopard's stare. The tree is prominent, however I always enjoy leopard in natural habitat images such as this. Well done Billy.

Hi Billy.
Nakuru NP has the largest concentration of leopards on the planet according to several reliable sources I've encountered. It is a remarkable place.
The scale of the tree is well represented here, but, IMO, the leopard could benefit from a different crop. Perhaps eliminating the right side from the right edge of the yellow bark.
The larger version is well worth the view.
I'm enjoying your images, Keep 'em coming.

Neil

This is beautiful Billy. I do not mind the tree being so prominent at all and I like the grass growing in it and of course those eyes! Processing looks excellent; all I would do to improve the presentation is to crop out the bright BRC.

Great pose from a nice angle. I really like the light coming from the left and the green grasses. The big acacia is impressive, but I think I would crop to a different ratio from the right, to eliminate the bright negative space in the lower right. To me it would also improve the composition by removing some of the "heaviness" of all the black on the right side and it would put the bright strip on the back on about the vertical of "thirds." You might also experiment a little with some selective brightening of the tail and shadow side/flank of the cat, which might help keep it from blending into the shadow detail of the tree. Of course that is less a factor when viewed larger. All that said, I think this is a special capture deserving your time to maximize its impact with some careful post processing!

Cheers guys. I was undecided about the crop so I thought I'd leave it as is (I've always preferred 'normal' 3:2 ratios anyway for some reason!?) but here it is again. I think it works better - thanks a lot!

Love the repost!

Great shot Billy! So cool to have seen this let alone get a shot! Love the pose and the surrounding tree and grasses. ...And THEN I saw the repost and my jaw dropped!!!!!!! Totally a winner here!!

Both are great shots though I would say the second one is probably better. I do really like the pose of the leopard in that huge acacia, what good capture.

Thanks again guys. One thing that strikes me about the recrop is that the cat doesn't seem 'dwarfed' so much by the tree now, and I think this detracts slightly. Any thoughts?

Wonderful image.
I was at Nakuru a few years back, and saw the Leopard only once on the last day and your image iis far far better than what I got there.

Billy, you said:

One thing that strikes me about the recrop is that the cat doesn't seem 'dwarfed' so much by the tree now, and I think this detracts slightly. Any thoughts?

Perhaps going vertical could have achieved taht result without having to include the bright BG to the right of the tree; anyway just a thought .

Billy, I find that the tree is still huge enough in the repost but the leopard IS the subject, right? I think the repost just has more WOW factor... I love it!

Billy,
I think the repost still does a good job of showing how large the tree is but it also makes the leopard a little more prominent than in the original. I really like the light.

Would have been a great 'mood' image but for the bright area in the lower right corner. I agree about Lake Nakuru being a wonderful place to see and photograph these elusive creatures.

Oops! I hadn't seen the repost or others' comments when I posted mine just now. The repost is fabulous, and now the 'mood' is just perfect!