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Green Eye


Green Eye
Photo Information
Copyright: Alan Turvey (liquidsunshine) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1889 W: 112 N: 3371] (11494)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-05-05
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 300 D, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX APO RF, Hoya skylight (1B)
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Endangered, African Wildlife, Pankaj Bajpai's Favorite Part 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-06-16 12:07
Viewed: 2705
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 70
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I've been away from TN for a few weeks. I had a bit of an accident and was unable to use my camera.
Bandages off and raring to go......in between the footie of course!!!

This is from May 2005 at the rare leopard project.

I'm hoping to get to Whipsnade this Sunday, Pieter (sAner) tells me that they have some Lion cubs there now. So I'll hopefully have some shots at the end of this weekend.

The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Pound for pound, it is the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than itself.

Physical Characteristics
Leopards come in a wide variety of coat colors, from a light buff or tawny in warmer, dryer areas to a dark shade in deep forests. The spots, or rosettes, are circular in East African leopards but square in southern African leopards.

Habitat
Dense bush in rocky surroundings and riverine forest are their favorite habitats, but leopards adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability, in fact, has helped them survive the loss of habitat to increasing human settlement. Leopards are primarily nocturnal, usually resting during the daytime in trees or thick bush. The spotted coat provides almost perfect camouflage.

Behavior
When a leopard stalks prey, it keeps a low profile and slinks through the grass or bush until it is close enough to launch an attack. When not hunting, it can move through herds of antelopes without unduly disturbing them by flipping its tail over its back to reveal the white underside, a sign that it is not seeking prey.
Leopards are basically solitary and go out of their way to avoid one another. Each animal has a home range that overlaps with its neighbors; the male's range is much larger and generally overlaps with those of several females. A leopard usually does not tolerate intrusion into its own range except to mate. Unexpected encounters between leopards can lead to fights.
Leopards growl and spit with a screaming roar of fury when angry and they purr when content. They announce their presence to other leopards with a rasping or sawing cough. They have a good sense of smell and mark their ranges with urine; they also leave claw marks on trees to warn other leopards to stay away.
Leopards continually move about their home ranges, seldom staying in an area for more than two or three days at a time. With marking and calling, they usually know one another's whereabouts. A male will accompany a female in estrus for a week or so before they part and return to solitude.

Notes from outtoafrica.nl

Thanks for looking, have a great weekend.
thistle, valy67, Signal-Womb, omurbakir, red45, Oz1, Dando, loot, scottevers7, coasties, TAZ, dew77, firelord, aido, soccer, SkyF, jchemas, liziafa, mogens-j, Watershed has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To thistle: Hello Monikaliquidsunshine 2 06-16 13:20
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Alan,
Hope the "accident" wasn't very serious. I'm a bit surprised I see you here. I was almost sure we won't see you here during World Cup! ;-)
This is a lovely shot! The POV and cat's pose are superb. Love it's eyes. The colours are great here, as well as the details. It just seem the postprocessing wasn't very precise. There's some strong signs that BG was blurred around cat, especially his ears. It's spoils the picture a bit.
Apart from that it's a lovely shot!
WELL DONE!

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1880 W: 59 N: 2915] (8733)
  • [2006-06-16 12:28]

Hi Alan ! I'm happy to see that you are back on TN.The look and the pose of this leopard are fantastic. Excellent details, colors and composition too. The blurred BG is very nice even if, as Monika has said, the PP work was not very precise. Not a big problem for me. Very well done !
Valérie.

Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad to hear you are getting back into things. Great shot! I love the focus on the eyes. TFS!

Beautiful shot Alan, such an intense stir he is giving us. Love the colouring and markings on that beast. Well done.

Hi Alan,
Well first off I hope your ok and that you'll recooperate soon so we can see more of your excellent shots.
Great shot of this cool leopard, I love the pose and the direct eye contact of this efficient predator. :)

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2006-06-16 14:17]

Hi Alan,

An excellent shot of this predator,You can almost feel the look in his green eyes well done and TFS,
enjoy the weekend

Paul

Hello Alan,
Amazing portrait.Details,colors and sharpness are perfect.
Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2006-06-16 15:19]

Hi Alan!
Beautifull youngster in shy pose. Love these green eyes. One thing is sure - cats always beat insects :-) Congratulations my friend!

Poland is out so I wish luck to England. I hope you'll win Cup this time :-)

Hi Alan,
it's a beautiful cat, I love her impressive eyes and the way it is looking what you are doing. Wonderful sharpness and so close - you have such a good lens. Thanks for sharing
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • Oz1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 76 W: 2 N: 173] (994)
  • [2006-06-16 15:43]

Hi Alan,
Your photo is just great!!
colors and details are superb. POV just lovely!
very pleasent image to look at.
Thanks for sharing!!

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 637 W: 32 N: 792] (3084)
  • [2006-06-16 17:10]

Hi Alan, he is definitely watching you. Great shot, excellent lighting, details and colours. Very well done and TFS.
Dean.

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1494 W: 0 N: 1175] (6494)
  • [2006-06-16 17:32]

Hi Alan,
Beautiful capture! Excellent POV and great expression, the colours and details are also very nice.
Thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend!

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2006-06-16 18:12]

Good to hear you are mending. Last I heard you were off overseas on holiday, and I told you to be careful Alan!!
Yes, I can see the cunning in this ones eyes! I love how the paw is placed in front, and she's asking you to come closer. Beautiful shot Alan, it's great!
Janice
Football is timed all wrong for us - some very sleepy people in my family right now.

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3662] (10065)
  • [2006-06-16 18:39]

Hi Alan
As you said in your notes, this is a very elusive animal in the wild and you people are very fortunate to have the 'rare leopard project' close by where you have access to such lovely animals. The past 15 years I have been a very frequent visitor at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park here in Zululand and I have observed leopards on 3 occasions only. Fleeting it was as well.
This composition is great - a lovely POV and an excellent pose. The colours are stunning, the details could be a tad sharper, the BG is complimentary and the exposure was spot-on.
Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

PS. Good to see you are recovering. Take care and keep well.

Hi Alan,
An excellent portrait on this Leopard. I thinks the composition and framing look great. The pose and great eye contact really make the shot. The kind of dark feel to this shot really works well.
Nice one!
Scott

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-06-17 0:33]

What a wonderful and interesting portrait that you have well captured ! The composition and pose are amazing. Colors, exposure, POV and sharpness are also very good ! Congratulations Alan and thanks for sharing.
PS : sorry for your accident my friend...

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-06-17 3:29]

Hello Alan,
Wonderful portrait.Expression on face is amazing.I liked colors,contrast,details,POV and composition a lot.
TFS...:-)

Hi Alan

Awesome eye contact. This is a brilliant shot. Congrats! Glad to hear you are fit and well after your accident... we have missed you! :-)

Hi Alan
It's wonderful,I feel this leopard is looking at me!

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 440 W: 10 N: 504] (2372)
  • [2006-06-17 5:08]

wow! great shot! amazing pose. tfs

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-06-17 6:15]

Hi Alan,
Great exposure on this Leopard for a night-time flash shot. Beautiful rich and dark colours, nice detail and the central composition works well with the diagonal branch. Nice shot!
Cheers,
Adrian

Alan,

Excellently composed pic that displays good POV, BG, Sharpness and detail of the subject. the best subject choice possible IMO of course! TFS,
Sheriff

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-06-17 9:00]

Hello Allan,
nice to have you back :-).
Very nice shot, love the intense eyecontact and pose. Details, POV and blurred background look great. Excellent composition.
TFS..Sky

Another superb portrait Alan.
Beautiful and colorful composition.
Great colors and superb details.
I love the POV and the BG.
tfs!!!!
Regards
JC

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6167] (21074)
  • [2006-06-17 19:14]

Hello Alan,
I was starting to worry about you, not seeing you for so long.
Glad to hear you have recovered from your little accident. Hope it was not too serious.
I love this shot of the this absolutely gorgeous leopard.
I love the direct eye contact, and the intensity of his stare.
I love that coy look and that tentative paw on the log, but the rest hidden.
i love the colors and details on the animal, the mood created by the BG.
A fantastic shot, my friend. Congratulations!

Hi Alan,
Very nice shot.
Excellent colors and composition - i like it.
Well done!
TFS Malgosia

Such a great pic. The eye contact is brilliant. He looks so spiteful.
(a little nit: the reflection of the flash in the eyes)

Hello Alan,

Excellent capture of this big cat. Lovely cute pose - looks almost like it want a little scratch between the eyes;-). Colours look great and the handling of the light is very good. Very good cropping/composition with the cat out of centre. - Looks like you are back and fit for more pictures.

Mogens

  • Great 
  • Karin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 418 W: 5 N: 268] (2089)
  • [2006-06-21 7:10]

Hi Alan,
Beautiful colors and composition .good details
and pose of the leopard.
TFS

  • Great 
  • pat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 87 W: 0 N: 125] (410)
  • [2006-07-09 4:57]

Magnificient portrait of this leopard, with this tense look on his face. Excellent pose, composition and details ; I so much like its large whiskers and forepaw. Exposure is perfect, golden coloured fur is well shown, background very fine. Patrick

Wonderful photo, brilliant composition and POV! TFS - Xplorator Radu

Hi Alan,
That's a wonderful shot!!! I really like the composition and the eye contact with this beautifull big cat. Lucky you to see one!!!!
Thanks for sharing ;-)
Stéph

very nice pic, TFS Ori

Excellent details, colors and composition.

Nice shot with good colours and composition. The lighting and the dark out of focus bg also look wonderful.

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