Leopard grooming

Gallery: WildlifePosted December 5, 2011152 views6 comments

A photo of a female Leopard taken at the Mala Mala Game Reserve in South Africa, one of the best places in the world to get close to these magnificent animals.

Canon 1DMK4
500mm
1/250 f5,6 ISO 800
Manual Mode

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Clinton Bauder on December 5, 2011 at 4:40 PM

Very nice. Love the DOF and the tight crop. The expression on her face is great, as is the action from the grooming behavior. Wish the bit of grass in the lower right wasn't there but what are you gonna do? Well done!

Clinton

Registered on December 8, 2009, 31 Posts, 231 Comments

Comment posted by Ben Vanos on December 5, 2011 at 4:48 PM

Awesome shot Stu! The clarity and expression of the face is just great. I also really like how you captured the leopard pattern as the background.

Ben

Registered on December 2, 2011, 7 Posts, 9 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on December 5, 2011 at 11:55 PM

Excellent detail, great look in those eyes and nice behaviour captured here Stu. I do find the framing a bit tight. Perhaps if the ear was entirely out of the frame I would not have that feeling, but with it clipped off as is I keep wishing to see its entire head.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Benavides on December 6, 2011 at 5:27 AM

What a beautiful animal. Good light and detail. Nice BG. IMHO I would prefer to see the whole right eye or not to see the right eye but not cut the eye, that's a minor nit.
Oscar

Registered on January 2, 2011, 12 Posts, 141 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on December 6, 2011 at 3:02 PM

Lovely details and pose here Stu. My first thoughts were exactly what Vincent has laid down...having a slice of the ear in the frame gives it a chopped-off feeling. Seems like cropping it out will leave the eyes too close to the top of the frame especially with them looking up...