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For Monika


For Monika
Photo Information
Copyright: Adrian Hutton (aido) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1097 W: 168 N: 1218] (4046)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-07-22
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Nikon D2X, Sigma EX 50-500mm f/4-6.3 APO HSM DG
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/320 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Great cats - Grandes felinos, 5 favs. and up, Wildlife Heritage Foundation, UK, Wild cats portraits, 100 points or more (Chapter 1), 10 fav's and more, Wild Cats [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-07-24 5:15
Viewed: 2565
Favorites: 12 [view]
Points: 144
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This one is a graduation present for Monika (thistle), and a way of saying thanks for always giving me great encouragement with my Cat photography. And I know she likes Amur Leopards :-)

I haven’t had much time for photography or TN recently as I’m packing to move, but I did manage to get down to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation on Saturday where I took this picture.

I’ve posted many notes about the Amur Leopard previously, so I though I’d write some notes about the Wildlife Heritage Foundation and the great work they do.

Due to diminishing numbers of big Cats in the wild (in the case of the Amur Leopard an estimated 30-50 survive in the wild today), much more inter-breeding is happening than in previous years. This results in many still-born cubs and a weaker bloodline with more genetic diseases being introduced, and if left the wild population will eventually die out.

The Wildlife Heritage Foundation is not a zoo, nor is it open to the public. It is part of a Europe-wide breeding program, the aim of which is to increase genetic diversity in the bloodlines of big cats, with the aim of introducing these pure bloodlines back into the wild population. Through the cooperation between the breeding centres and a dedicated program, more bloodlines are being created. These are mapped so that no inter-breeding takes place and new bloodlines are being generated across Europe. It’s a great program and a huge step in preserving the wild population of many species of big cats. The WHF are currently breeding Sumatran Tigers and Amur Leopards although they do have other big cats there as they double as a rescue centre.

Their website is here, however it’s being redesigned so there isn’t much there right now.

Shutter 1/320
Aperture f/7.1
ISO 400
Exposure Bias -1.33
Focal Length 270mm
Hand-held

PP:
Increased saturation
Sharpened with high-pass filter

pablominto, red45, ramthakur, dew77, peter_stoeckl, Nephrotome2, wkshelton, scottevers7, marhowie, SkyF, satish_h, claudine, hekcik, shal, graz, csmnlm, manyee, jmp, Hil, AndyB, horia, PDP, chouette, Janice, jjcordier, gelor, valy67, thor68, Gudule, firelord, Alex99, pilonm, carper, izler, snowfalken, jeanpaul, liziafa, slrnovice2, sily, sAner, jcoowanitwong, lovenature, TAZ, mbasil, coasties, mlines has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Aramok: Hi Emmaaido 1 08-16 17:31
To slrnovice2: Hi Hollieaido 1 07-29 13:12
To pilonm: Hi Michelaido 1 07-27 10:39
To graz: Hi Grahamaido 1 07-25 04:18
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Critiques [Translate]

Adrian,
Superb portrait!
Just look at those eyes...
Wonderful textures in the fur coat, lovely colours and details in this so well done portrait!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Adrian,
I think Monika will loves this. The pose and POV are great. Lovely light and colours. The details and DOF are excellent. No nits on this one.
Great work.

What an elegant portrait of this beautiful animal, Adrian!
Makes me think of my childhood days when there were leopards in the Himalayan valley I come from. Sadly, they are almost wiped out now, thanks to poaching and bad wild life governance.
Thanks for sharing it and take care.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2830 W: 75 N: 8025] (26863)
  • [2006-07-24 5:35]

Hi Adrian!
Great gift for Monika, but I'm sure she would like live one rather :-)
Beautifull face and mood of this picture. Fantastic animal!

Hi Adrian,
very lively, exciting capture of that lean and powerful Leopard cat. Lovely pose, excellent details, beautiful soft colours. Great!
Thank you, and best regards,
Peter

Majectic pose. Perfect shot: POV composition light colors sharpness.
A master piece. TFS

Thank you for this great picture!

Hello Adrian, excellent colors, Bg, POv DOF perfect details, very crisp, excllent POV and Framing, nice work, TFS Kyle

Excellent shot! Very sharp. I almost can count his hairs of his fur!
Love the compoosition also

TFS Greetz Kristies

Hi Adrian,
I have had a week from hell and gotten behind on my critiques. Sorry!
This is a superb portrait. Great quality light. I love the composition, tight crop, and the pose. Colors and detail are perfect.
Excellent camera work!
Scott

Hello Adrian,
Excellent quality and tack sharp.
Perfect light and color, and a very nice profile view/pose as the animal looks upward..
Well composed,
Very well done!

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-07-24 8:37]

Hello Adrian,
beautifully captured, the pose and the POV is wonderful. Excellent sharpness and details.
A great portrait.
TFS..Sky

Wow,wow,wow! A classs of its own. I have never seen a close up shot so beautiful. Lucky Monica!

TFS. Very good picture. all plus points..

Satish.h

Hi Adrian,

Wow! I wonder what this beautiful animal is looking at... Its eyes seem to say so much… This is a very good catch with great POV, lightning and sharpness. TFS,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1148 W: 254 N: 2555] (11565)
  • [2006-07-24 9:12]

Hi Adrian,

Again a great capture of a predator,well composed with lovely colors,
Regards,

Paul

It's a very nice picture, amazing expression of the animal. It's a great shot!!

Regards,
João

  • Great 
  • takos1 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 276 W: 25 N: 204] (2571)
  • [2006-07-24 10:46]

Stupendo questo profilo in primo piano Adrian!!
Dettagli precisi, bravo!!
Ciao.
Franco

  • Great 
  • hekcik Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 330 W: 15 N: 305] (1823)
  • [2006-07-24 11:23]

Hi Adrian,

Amazing shot...
Wonderful... all...
Very well done!

TFS :-)
Norbert

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 71 N: 499] (2086)
  • [2006-07-24 12:05]

Hi Adrian,
Superb detail and B/G, gerat POV and DOF :)
good expression perfectly caught :)
Cheers TFS,
Vishal Sabharwal

  • Great 
  • graz Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 21 W: 0 N: 26] (216)
  • [2006-07-24 12:31]
  • [+]

Very nice shot.excellent sharp colours and i love the expression of looking up.what was she looking at.?
well done
Graham.

HiAdrian,
An excellent and clear portrait of this cat.Composition, details,sharpness,colors are wonderful.Perfect work!
Cemil

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3072 W: 232 N: 5866] (19726)
  • [2006-07-24 13:19]

Wow, Adrian. Superb shot!
Love the pose and expression you have captured.
Sharpness, light, POV are all excellent.
A fantastic image. TFS. ; )

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2338] (8400)
  • [2006-07-24 13:40]

Hi Adrian,
You have been able to meet the challenge this beautiful cat worth. Perfect in every technical and aesthetical parameter! A favorite.
TFS, José M.

Linda foto, fantastica nitidez e pose do animal.
Debi

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-07-24 13:45]

Gran captura con espectacular expresión del felino.
Muy buena nitidez y DOF para lograr una excelente composición final.
Yo he agregado esta imagen a mi Tema de Grandes Felinos.

Great capture with spectacular expression of the feline.
Very good sharpness and DOF to obtain an excellent final composition.
I have added this image to my Theme Great Cats.

Composition: ****
Sharpness: ****
Color: ****
DOF: ****
POV: *****
Note: ****

El enfoque y la luz suave que dan protagonismo al color y las texturas del pelo, el vivo contrapunto de las vibrisas y el ojo y la composición son muy buenas. Enhorabuena por tan magnífico retrato.

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 871 W: 2 N: 606] (2034)
  • [2006-07-24 13:56]

Hello Adrian , A Great portret , beautifull colours pose details pof and dof ,very good ,tfs Greetings Teunie .

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 744 W: 11 N: 1408] (4839)
  • [2006-07-24 14:10]

Hi Adrian,

Excellent shot, I love the composition & the colours, the Amur Leopard looks truly serene.
Great Work.
TFS Hilary

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1592 W: 32 N: 1361] (3978)
  • [2006-07-24 15:48]

Hello Adrian,
Excellent portrait of this beautiful animal.
A great pose and expression you've captured.
One of your very best,well done.

TFS

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2084 W: 216 N: 3766] (12498)
  • [2006-07-24 16:32]

What a beautiful picture, Adrian!!!
I've been gone on a short trip and i was looking forward to seeing what shot you were posting now. I have to say it is better than i thought it would be. And better not as an image, but better as a feeling:) Your message to Monika is really visible through this picture. There is simply no point in talking about the image itself becasue it is flawless. Very, very well done.
Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
  • [2006-07-24 17:25]

Hello Adrian, good shot. I'm sure Monika will be very pleased. Great composition and good details. I love the light in the eyes. Very well done.

Hi Adrian,
I love cats, and this is really lovely. Excellent details, colours, light and specially the expression, how it see up; looks my home cat.
Bravo, friend.
Hernán

SUPERB! A masterpiece for sure.
Congratulations and TFS!

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3452 W: 144 N: 5902] (17486)
  • [2006-07-24 22:56]

Oh Adrian - what a beautiful cat. I love his expression and how he is concentrating on whatever he is looking at. Those eyes are so intense. Excellent portrait, well done,
Janice

Good morning Adrian,
Just time for a very quick visit.
Very nice shot. Thanks for posting.
Have a great week.

Excellent portrait of this elegant animal. All is perfect for me!
Best regards
JJ

  • Great 
  • gelor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 128 W: 3 N: 12] (517)
  • [2006-07-25 3:06]

Bonjour Adrian,
S U P E R B E ! Que peut-on ajouter au concert de louanges ? Simplement encore des félicitations.
Gérard

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-07-25 3:44]

Hello Adrian,
Very nice capture of big cat.POV,clear details,sharpness,blurred BG,colors,DOF and composition are wonderful.Excellent work!
TFS...:-)

Thank you Adrian :-)
This is a lovely gift. Could be for my birthday too, it will be very soon :-)
I absolutely love this picture. I would equally love it even if it wasn't for me :-)
First of all a beautiful big cat. I'd like to have an occasion to photograph them someday. The next thing I adore here is his pose and the POV. It's an exceptional picture and I'm very happy you dedicated it to me :-)

PS. I have a new cam for few days already. It's time to post something on TN. I hope you will find some time to tell me what do you think. Now the excuses that I can't control DOF are gone, so you can pick as many nits as you want ;-)

A charming pose, lovely composition and great background. The high-pass sharpening is very subtle and effective on the soft fur.

Hi Adrian !
This is really a wonderful big cat - the textures and detailson the fur are amazing. The pose is also very beautiful, the leopard looks curous but also very gentle. excellent POV and DOF, and a wonderful BG with great colors. I love the soft mood of this photo. very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • thor68 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 716 W: 115 N: 1038] (4597)
  • [2006-07-25 13:21]

miaoooooow! *g*
excellent portrait-shot of the great cat, adrian! :-)
perfectly sharp and wonderfully colored masterpiece
with amazing details and a terrific pose - i wonder what she´s looking at?..ok, i read it, food. *g*
superb job & take care, thorsten.

Once again tact sharp details and the colors are very nice on this awesome capture of the Armur. Well done Adrian. :)

  • Great 
  • Gudule Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 248 W: 11 N: 288] (1204)
  • [2006-07-25 20:13]

Est-ce que tout a été dit concernant cette magnique photo? Détails, pose de l'animal, mise au point (focus), lumière, composition, présentation. Tout a été dit ci-haut.
Alors, félicitations, Adrian.

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3043 W: 148 N: 4547] (14679)
  • [2006-07-27 0:42]

Hi Adrian.
Outstanding and very lovely shot. It's really classics. TFS and my congratulations.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • HELO Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 10 N: 58] (352)
  • [2006-07-27 9:41]

bonjour ADRIAN
belle photo.
Bons détails et belles couleurs
bravo!
heloise

Hello Adrian,

Wow! Another awesome picture from you, my friend! I don't know what this Leopard is looking at but it surely looks delicious ;-) You managed perfectly the exposure! You got a great pov and did a wondeful composition although in my opinion a little bit less crop in order to see the whole whiskers will be better (but not a big deal at all!). The nice blurry bg enhance very well the animal!!! Great picture, good for National Geographic!!! TFS,

Michel

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2165 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2006-07-27 13:31]

wauw let me give you the hundred. Adrian
the shot is fantastic, your realy good in that kind of shots, great pov fine colours great light, good dof and a marvelois composition, very good job

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1264 W: 78 N: 874] (7918)
  • [2006-07-27 15:47]

hi adrian
beautiful nature-portrait photo. wonderful exposure. POV, DOF, blured BG, focus, colours and details are great.
TFS
regards
izler

Hallo Adrian,

It's good to see new photos in your portofolio! This is another work of art you've achieved and with your permission it will go straight to my favorite list. I've searched in vain for any minor flaws. I wasn't able to find any. Everything is perfect, both artistically and technically. I almost feel bad it wasn't dedicated to me :)! I think it's a very nice present for a graduation. The note is also very well written! Thanks for sharing!

Regards,
Eddie

Hello Adrian, well this is an absolute gem. Il put this on in my favorites. Excellent work.

Bonjour Adrian
C'est une excellente composition avec ce beau portrait de ce joli Léopard ! La présentation est très jolie avec de belles couleurs, ainsi que les détails. Merci pour le partage .
Au revoir et Bravo ....JP

Hi Adrian,
Amazing portrait!!!
Very good detils and colors.
I like it...
Very well done.
TFS Malgosia

Hi Adrian, this is really lovely. There is something about the exposure that really makes this shot stand out. It's sharp, detailed and the cat's expression is terrific: I wouldn't want to be the subject of such an intense gaze from a big cat! Really nicely done :)

Just superb. I love the way you have caught the expression and the look of the eye. ALl the colours look natural and the details are spot on.

Julian

  • Great 
  • sily Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 252 W: 6 N: 391] (1859)
  • [2006-07-30 8:25]

Hi Adrian!
Another beauty in collection of wild cats, beautiful photo, beautiful sight!

Just no words Adrian!!! this is awesome! the pose, details, Dof... great shot indeed. Cheers, Luís.

  • Great 
  • pac Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 84 W: 14 N: 158] (1729)
  • [2006-07-31 8:29]

Hi Adrian,

Really inmpressive stance of this cat - beatiful eyes, wonderfull colours, sharpness. Everything tops!

/Dan

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1654 W: 79 N: 1456] (4742)
  • [2006-07-31 13:05]

Wow, what a portrait! The colors are so nice and the light is very warm. Good pose and nice POV. Monika will like this tribute for sure. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

Hello Adrian,
Excellent portrait of this Amur Leopard. Great sharpness and details. Very well done.
JC

Hi Adrian,
Nice to hear some good news about this unique breed of cat, your notes are interesting.
You captured a great pose of this Leopard looking up. Very sharp detail and soft lighting here. Just a wonderful portrait.
TFS Janice

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 881 W: 23 N: 927] (4997)
  • [2006-08-04 7:20]

Adrian bonjour, cette pose le l'animal est magnifique et vous avez choisi le bon moment. Very well done, Didier.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2385 W: 50 N: 3184] (10918)
  • [2006-08-04 12:12]

Wooooow ! What an amazing portrait for the big cat of Monika ;-) I will not the same things as the other friends. Congratulations Adrian for this master piece and TFS.

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7745)
  • [2006-08-09 8:34]

Hi Adrian
Great shot again. Excelent colours, sharpnes, light detais and POV. Also good note
Well done my friend

osse

  • Great 
  • mbasil Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 348 W: 146 N: 706] (3059)
  • [2006-08-11 21:10]

I just ran across this one. What a beauty! That's one amazing expression! It looks like she's tracking some potential prey. The light is very dramatic, too, especially the way it lights her whiskers. Perfect level of blur (DoF) on the bg.
Mike

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-08-14 23:00]

Hi Adrian

This is in my top 5 favourite shots on TN.Awesome composition,superb colour ,superb DOF.TFS

Rob

Adrian

what a lovely capture here - the mood is excelletn and those eyes adn that pose are just wonderful, as are the colors.

hope the move goes well. - Servers still giving me grief and tomorrow is A level results day - AHHHHHHHH...

great picture and TFS
Emma

Another cracker of a shot Adrian and one I would dearly like to have in my collection. As one of the members once said, frame it and hang it on your wall. This posture is classic, looking up is one of my favourites for cats and kids alike. The DOF is just spot on. Well done, Rob

Hi Adrian

Fantastic shot. Congrats... simply brilliant! :-)

fantastic pic, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 507 W: 17 N: 555] (2560)
  • [2006-12-17 17:15]

Hi Adrian. Superb clarity and colour. An unusual POV of such a leopard. Well shown. Murray.

Hi adrian amazing shot
very well focused and nice colours
the potrait is fantastic
very nice
like it
Toba

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