'Beauty' the leopard

Just back yesterday after a very successful trip to Botswana. In our travels we caught up with a resident leopard called 'Beauty' who resides in the 'Kwetsani' area in the Delta region. I first photographed her two years ago along with her cub which sadly died. Unfortunately she has not been very successful in bringing her cubs up, but over a four day period of tracking her off & on she was very obliging as you will see and to the point of allowing us to see her two week old cub too.

No manipulation has been done, only sharpening & saturation, full frame no crop. This was on the way to the airstrip

Steve

MKIII 500f4

Hi Steve
Welcome back-Glad to hear that you had a fruitful trip-Lovely leopard image-Classic-I would clone the hair? on top of the head just to tidy it up but thats my only nit-very nice

Dave

Very nice.
Pity its a full frame as I reckon a tad over to the left with the subject would have hepled -but a minor point.
JohnR

Hi Steve,

Cracking shot!

Lovely shot Steve

Alan

Thanks everyone, will attend to the hair Dave

Steve

Cracking shot! Asked where you had been for the Jackal, now I know. Love the light and blue sky. Leopards really are masters of relaxation and is on every photographers 'want list'. Especially a leopard in a tree. I don't mess around with images, but (if you had the time) I would be really tempted to remove the dark leaves and have it bare on a tree. Just an idea... I don't want to take anything away from the fact that this is a real beauty!

Hi Elliott, against all advice I stuck to my guns and planted the vehicle slap bang in front of the tree, I know my girl and she just performed. As you can appreciate the camera was smoking after 5 minutes

I know what you mean, taking on board your thoughts this is another shot but tighter in, no crop, just having blue sky looks a tad odd, but perhaps on the other shot it might work. WDYT?

Steve