Critique Welcomed Leopard awakening

[Hilary Williams]

I recently returned from an overland holiday in Africa, travelling on a truck and camping in Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & Zanzibar. My main objective was to get to grips with using the manual controls on my camera, having been very cowardly and hidden behind the safety of Auto settings.

We spent a couple of days in Serengeti and spotted this leopard sleeping in a tree. I need to work out how to pick out the detail of something hiding in shadows when the light out of the shade is very bright



She woke up (probably disturbed by dozens of jeeps congregating and cameras snapping) and scrambled down the tree.





My focus isn't perfect and I managed to miss the tip of her tail when she leapt out but I'm fairly happy with the result.



The less pretty side of a safari...

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Hilary, good stuff. I like the middle two best - not sure which of those I prefer. Brave of you to use an African trip to work out the manual settings - most of us do that by photographing our feet, and such wild animals as our spouses.

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Nice shots. Wonderful animal.

I have to wonder what I would be like if a bunch of jeeps pulled up to my bedroom. Maybe breakfast in bed?

 

[Pete Askew]

Lovely series Hilary and the sequence of the Leopard coming down the trunk of the tree is very nice. And what a great idea to turn around and make an image of the audience.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I missed that 'audience' shot earlier. Did you add it later? It certainly helps explain why the leopard took off!

 

[Paul Lange]

I like number 2 & 3 the best. The eye is drawn down the image through the middle and there is a sense of anticipation in the jump.

 

[Hilary Williams]

I did sneak it in after your comment which had made me think that it was worth showing the other side of the story. I have reservations about disturbing wild animals like this in their natural habitat, it can't make hunting any easier and the impact of tourists on the environment is worrying. On the other hand, plenty of visitors means greater income to keep the parks going and make it harder for poachers to come in

 

[Lesley Jones]

Hi Hilary! What a great set - from the top of the tree to the ground and then turning the camera around

 

[Hamish Gill]

I did sneak it in after your comment which had made me think that it was worth showing the other side of the story. I have reservations about disturbing wild animals like this in their natural habitat, it can't make hunting any easier and the impact of tourists on the environment is worrying. On the other hand, plenty of visitors means greater income to keep the parks going and make it harder for poachers to come in

tough one for sure!

Congrats on the photos though!


(Looking forward to the big day? )

 

[Hilary Williams]

Not so brave actually, the trip was one geared towards photographers with an expert photographer tour guide giving us advice en route. Cowardly of me not to have done more to try to learn first! It had always seemed so easy to take photos using the Auto settings but there are limitations that you don't really appreciate until you have a go setting them up manually.
Thanks for the comments, I have to admit that these are just a few of the best out of the loads that I took of the same subject

 

[Brian Moore]

Amazing set of images, Hillary. The big cat coming down is great and so is the final one. Well done!

 

[Hilary Williams]

Yes, it seems to have been ages since they decided to go for it and set a date but it really is close now. Beccy is more worried about finishing her thesis than her wedding which is just diverting her attention from her work! I hope you have organised some good weather for the day?