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Leopard

Gallery: Regional: UKNPPosted November 13, 2011100 views13 comments

A female leopard, seen on my recent safari in Tanzania. The leopard was being plagued by flies, hence the relatively alert pose. We could see the tail drooping down behind the branch, but I made the decision to just go for body and head and go for large in the frame.

One strange thing. The branch the leopard was on was between 15-20 feet up, whilst I was in a van no more than 8-9 feet up. So how does it look as though I was almost level with my subject?

Thanks for looking.

David

Nikon D300, 300mm f2.8 Nikon, 1.7x Nikon converter, 200 ISO, 1/800th @ f5.0. Full frame.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Phil Ellard on November 13, 2011 at 4:37 PM

Stunning I am off to Tanzania next year and i would love a day time leopard this close. Did you take any differant comps? not that i do not like this, i would be delighted with it, just wondered as i know BC can be very obliging

Registered on December 17, 2010, 60 Posts, 634 Comments

Comment posted by David Sewell on November 13, 2011 at 4:42 PM

Quite a few variations, Phil. I've got her being buzzed by flies, and full shots including the tail to name but two that I am bound to post eventually

Tanzania is the best place for leopards in daylight in my experience, I had up to five in one day on one safari (mind you, I fluffed every single one of them photographically).

David

Registered on September 10, 2008, 63 Posts, 801 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Ellard on November 13, 2011 at 4:53 PM

Cheers David look foward to seeing some differant angles. Fingers crossed for next year then

Registered on December 17, 2010, 60 Posts, 634 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on November 13, 2011 at 5:01 PM

Beautiful portrait. She doesn't look too agitated by the flies. I wonder if you could take out the branch behind her head?

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Dawn Monrose on November 14, 2011 at 10:43 AM

Lovely, the dappled light looks great and I like the leaves framing the shot. Not sure about the angle - if you hadn't had said, I would have assumed you were at eye level! Maybe something to do with the angle the leopard was at in relation to you? Or an effect of the converter?

Registered on April 7, 2008, 6 Posts, 60 Comments

Comment posted by Pete Etheridge on November 14, 2011 at 1:52 PM

Hi David,

I think it does look as if it was taken looking upwards, with the fg branch blocking out the lower part of the body. I think you made the right compositional choice and I also like the leaves in the top right corner, they nicely frame the leopard's face.

Being that close to an elusive top predator must have been a fantastic experience.

Registered on August 9, 2005, 3 Posts, 40 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Cole on November 14, 2011 at 3:11 PM

that's a lovely shot David. The dappled background and the pose are very nice and I like the fact we can see its paws - not something you normally see! My only nit would be the branch in the background.

Matt

Registered on February 18, 2008, 17 Posts, 267 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Jones on November 14, 2011 at 4:36 PM

Hi David

A very natural image & I do like the stare of this beautiful animal calculating his or her thoughts. Never been on a a trip like this, only to Sainsburys with human animals present coming out of cars

Must have been an amazing

Look forward to seeing more from your trip

Vince

Registered on July 24, 2005, 91 Posts, 102 Comments

Comment posted by jack chapman on November 14, 2011 at 4:42 PM

Lovely shot David, really like the composition and framing with the vegetation, works really well in my opinion. Dappled light is nice too, look forward to seeing more.

Registered on January 29, 2007, 17 Posts, 74 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Whippey on November 14, 2011 at 5:50 PM

Excellent picture David. I'd also try removing the branch behind her head, but still a really great image regardless.

Registered on September 16, 2011, 16 Posts, 69 Comments

Comment posted by David Kjaer on November 15, 2011 at 6:55 AM

Hi David

Great capture, you have controlled the dappled lighting well and it works in this image. The OOF branch behind the head doesn't bother me that much.

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Burton on November 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM

Gorgeous one David. I do find when one uses a long lens from further back it helps with the angle of view looking less obvious.

Registered on September 16, 2010, 26 Posts, 461 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on January 8, 2012 at 10:58 PM

Gorgeous shot David and looking forward to seeing more from your recent safari! Wishing you a wonderful year ahead :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments