truetolifephotography
FollowThe essence of a leopard
Currently on display in my solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Check out this link to see a video clip of the dynamic lighting effect which reveals the tail and body...
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Currently on display in my solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Check out this link to see a video clip of the dynamic lighting effect which reveals the tail and body shadow detail in print and under dimmer lighting https://www.facebook.com/contactjoeanthony/videos/10155336140565622/
Multi awarded winning image. Grand prize in the Art Wolfe Compelling image Contest. 2nd in the National Wildlife Federation USA Annual photo competition (magazine feature in their December/January World print edition). Finalist in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Finalist in Shoot the Wild competition and published in a high quality book. Personally my favourite image of 2014 because of the journey it has taken me on on the way to capturing it and for months after to perfect its nuances for fine art printing. It is at it's best in printed form. I displayed it an exhibition in London at the Mall Galleries where it received media and newspaper coverage. It is available as a fine art print using standard archival paper as well as the rare dye transfer method for deepest blacks. All these processes will preserve the highly nuanced surprise shadow details of the leopards body and tail as it emerges from the darkness. Variable lighting on or behind the image can reveal or hide these details at the viewers discretion. Hopefully you can also see this effect to some extent by increasing and decreasing your monitors brightness/luiminance. This dominant male leopard known as Maxabeni had picked up the scent of an intruder on his territory and was actively stalking him. Initially a frantic sighting where we lost him several times, I persisted in trying to get a shot that would convey the essence of this elusive and secretive big cat. Part of 3 month project in the making where I experimented with several different ideas on numerous sightings, this image could only work if captured at precisely the right moment. Previous experience had led me to decide on making some key in camera decisions just beforehand and I knew if he was to be moving given that I wanted a fine art print from this at the end, I had to capture him only just moving. As he stepped forward into the light shaft that was the moment.
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Multi awarded winning image. Grand prize in the Art Wolfe Compelling image Contest. 2nd in the National Wildlife Federation USA Annual photo competition (magazine feature in their December/January World print edition). Finalist in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Finalist in Shoot the Wild competition and published in a high quality book. Personally my favourite image of 2014 because of the journey it has taken me on on the way to capturing it and for months after to perfect its nuances for fine art printing. It is at it's best in printed form. I displayed it an exhibition in London at the Mall Galleries where it received media and newspaper coverage. It is available as a fine art print using standard archival paper as well as the rare dye transfer method for deepest blacks. All these processes will preserve the highly nuanced surprise shadow details of the leopards body and tail as it emerges from the darkness. Variable lighting on or behind the image can reveal or hide these details at the viewers discretion. Hopefully you can also see this effect to some extent by increasing and decreasing your monitors brightness/luiminance. This dominant male leopard known as Maxabeni had picked up the scent of an intruder on his territory and was actively stalking him. Initially a frantic sighting where we lost him several times, I persisted in trying to get a shot that would convey the essence of this elusive and secretive big cat. Part of 3 month project in the making where I experimented with several different ideas on numerous sightings, this image could only work if captured at precisely the right moment. Previous experience had led me to decide on making some key in camera decisions just beforehand and I knew if he was to be moving given that I wanted a fine art print from this at the end, I had to capture him only just moving. As he stepped forward into the light shaft that was the moment.
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Views
9174
Likes
Awards
Action Award
Legendary Award
Canon EOS Camera
Contest Finalist in Animals And The Night Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Discover Africa Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Social Exposure Photo Contest Vol 1
Contest Finalist in Light Sensitivity Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Playing With Darkness Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 8 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 7 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 5 Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Genius
Top Ranks
Categories
Storycatcher
November 03, 2014
Patience, planning, and purpose all come together here through the lens of one who loves leopards!
truetolifephotography
November 13, 2014
Well the story for this image continues. I reposted in hoping it would look sharper but for some reason it does not look the same as before I upload it. Indeed this image is hard anyway to really show at its best on computer monitors. It comes into its own in print. I will be exhibiting it next August in London at the Mall galleries to show people what I am talking about. Hopefully too it will be presented using the dye transfer technique of printing for the absolute best possible print quality available.
BrianaK
December 12, 2014
Impressive. The dark space is unique - it creates a more intimate feeling to the photograph which is very intense.
p_eileenbaltz
December 15, 2014
One of my favorite photos ever!!! Excellent work; congratulations on all of your well deserved awards.
truetolifephotography
December 16, 2014
Thank you. For someone to rank it as one of their favourite photos ever is lovely to hear and all I ever seek with a photo like this is to engage and immerse the viewer as fully as possible into the scene. There is so much negative space in this image with no detail that depth was only achievable by suggestion of the relatively faint tail details and feeling of elevation of the leopard due to composition by raising him above centre. negative space in the foreground is not a usual tool to use (usually left and right works only). Here I THINK it works in the foreground to give a sense of the leopard emerging and still to come towards the viewer as opposed to arrived already. Adds tension to the scene which is already impactful due to the focus and expression on the face. That's kind of how I see it. Any more feedback from others gladly received.
truetolifephotography
December 16, 2014
Ethereal. That's a new one for this image. Thanks for the feedback. I've worked very hard to bring this image to viewers in a way that works on both screen and in print. no mean feat but the knowledge I acquired along the way this year has been invaluable for me moving forwards with my photography. So I kind of owe a lot to my own photograph for forcing me to learn so much this year.
truetolifephotography
January 15, 2015
Hi Thanks for the feedback and I love that you have that reaction. It's an image close to my heart from 2014.
truetolifephotography
January 15, 2015
Thanks for the feedback. The shutter speed choice was what helped to maximise the drama and that choice was also determined by the movement of the leopard.
AliceK
December 24, 2014
Extraordinary shot! Well deserved awards for your passionate and persevering project!
truetolifephotography
January 15, 2015
Thank you. Pretty much a years worth of work on this one image from capture to print readiness across many different mediums which all required different challenges specifically to retain the necessary subtle details.
cmbarden
February 07, 2015
Everything about this image is perfect, but what really does it for me is that the leopard is looking dead into the lens. Absolutely amazing! I can't stop looking at this image. Really...amazing.
truetolifephotography
February 07, 2015
Dear Christopher Mark, Thanks for the feedback. It has won 7 awards so far in different competitions worldwide but the most amazing feedback I had was last week when it won a prize for best photograph at the Royal Geographic Society Hong Kong. It came up on 2 large projector screens in front of quite a big audience and everyone in the room gasped when they saw it. This was the first chance I had to gauge the reaction of a large group of people looking at it at the same time and for the first time. The response was amazing and I could never have expected that. I'll be exhibiting it later this year in London and possibly a new gallery in San Francisco. Also will try for Hong Kong. Once I have the print presentations I am happy with, it will be available in a limited edition. I have not decided on the edition size or whether to provide different editions depending on size/printed medium used. At the moment tests are underway for printing it using the dye transfer technique for the absolute best printing process money can buy. Hope you also had time to read the field notes "behind the lens" below. I give a full description of how this image came to be. All the best. Joe.
truetolifephotography
August 19, 2017
Currently on display in my solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Check out this link to see a video clip of the dynamic lighting effect which reveals the tail and body shadow detail in print and under dimmer lighting https:// facebook.com/contactjoeanthony/videos/10155336140565622/
ashleyivettecote
February 01, 2019
I love this, it's the first time a picture made me feel fear, even though it's Stunning something about it incites a little fear like it's going to leap out of the image. well done.
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