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The Leopards Gaze
The Leopards Gaze
JawnyRico


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2007 (Advanced Editing VII*)
Collection: 2008 Challenges
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
Location: Cleveland Zoo, Ohio
Date: Aug 26, 2007
Aperture: 2.8
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Animals, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Jan 17, 2008

 Well after looking through all my pictures, I am not sure this is the best, but it was one of my wifes favorites, therefore I will submit it. :)

This is by far my favorite animal. The snow leopard. So beautiful and powerful. It represents a lot to me. Shot this at the Cleveland Zoo and the keeper had just happened to walk in with food, and I took a few and captured this expression. Only two things I didn't like was the tongue out and the slight glare on the right ear. I tried cropping it tighter but it just didn't look right to me. I know it won't compare with a lot of the shots that are going in, but I hope everyone at least likes the expression and look on the leopards face.

Adjustments:
Shot in Raw
Sharpened, Curves, Brightness
Used Photomatix and tonemapped.
In Jpeg
USM, Brightness & Contrast, Curves, Channel Mixer to convert to B&W. Dodge & Burn on face, Neat Image, Cropped, Add Border, Resize, Sharpen, Save for Web

Statistics
Place: 16 out of 484
Avg (all users): 6.9030
Avg (commenters): 8.0952
Avg (participants): 6.8047
Avg (non-participants): 7.1471
Views since voting: 6167
Views during voting: 407
Votes: 237
Comments: 31
Favorites: 21 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/15/2009 08:29:58 PM
Amazing... RIP
 03/26/2008 08:01:23 AM
Wonderful shot - I am really getting into leopards at the moment.

I love the PP work on this and the profile. Your wife made a good choice :- )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/26/2008 06:28:39 AM
Magnificent!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/17/2008 11:00:42 PM
Fantastic image, Sean! The viewer is drawn straightaway to the leopard's eye - such an unusual capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 03:02:00 PM
Excellent capture. Congrats on top 20!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 09:53:56 AM
Congrats on top 20!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 09:47:02 AM
Excellent finish. Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 01:44:01 AM
Great entry, Sean. This is beautiful! Clearly, the things that bothered you about this didn't bother the voters :-) Congratulations on the well-deserved great placement and score.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/27/2008 11:24:19 PM
This is easily my favorite photo for the challenge. I have a thing for big cats to begin with... and this photo just reinforces why. The grace and majesty is so evident is this simple pose. The lighting and soft tones are fantastic...I hope this finishes well for you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 11:16:59 PM
A top ten for me. Excellent in all aspects. Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 10:56:05 PM
I love the lighting on the face. The black and white contrasts are great too. Just something seems a little off on the right ear edge - like some detail was lost.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 05:26:12 PM
Striking photo! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 03:40:07 PM
Very nice image; really surprised that I like it in black and white.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 02:23:29 PM
Great in b&w and I love his expression. Nicely done. Back to bump you up to 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 01:27:12 PM
I feel like I am seeing a leopard for the first time. Great DOF.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 01:04:09 AM
Nice! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/27/2008 12:26:55 AM
NIce capture and lighting. They eye is really nice. the Processing isn't very strong and I get really distracted by the bleached out fur on both the chin and around the ear. Also, This should have been in colour without a doubt in my mind. Good Luck. 5.

Message edited by author 2008-01-28 00:20:58.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2008 05:20:35 PM
Wonderful focus on the eye and great capture of the expression (8)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2008 11:04:26 AM
what happened to the fur around the ear? other than that, beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2008 01:47:16 AM
beautiful, the eye is so in focus — makes me wonder what he's looking at.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/24/2008 04:02:53 PM
this is beautiful..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/24/2008 12:43:51 PM
The winner by a mile for me. This is just magnificent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2008 10:28:46 PM
Beautiful Capture and subject!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2008 10:05:41 PM
Love the textures and the background. Excellent composition. I'd like to see the frame line a few pixels closer to the edge, but that's a nit pick. Very nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2008 05:26:36 PM
Wow, that's awesome. Fantastic shot for b&w, love the pose.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 08:47:26 PM
great photo. Looks like he is licking his chops while watching a bird.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 12:52:51 PM
Nice in B&W
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 10:19:59 AM
lovely composition and use of b/w to emphasize the softness of the fur
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 04:54:48 AM
Lovely lighting and good focus on the eye, something's gone wrong with the ear hair though?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 02:50:22 AM
delicious! love the b and w...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2008 01:01:35 AM
Absolutely stunning from the light to the composition perfection! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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