Amur Leopard

Amur Leopard: Quite easily, the most beautiful animal I saw at the Oregon Zoo. It was lying down, real close to the viewing window, so I was able to zoom in tight and shoot several pictures. It never turned its head - always staring straight ahead like this.

Encyclopedia entry: The Amur leopard is the rarest of the big cats, and is in danger of dying out in the wild. They are suffering from habitat loss and are especially vulnerable to natural disasters, such as fire, because of their fragmented range. Amur leopards prefer to live in forested territory, but most of the forest in which they live is surrounded by farms and villages, making poaching easier. Perhaps fewer than thirty of these elusive felines remain in the wild.

Photo: Oregon Zoo, Portland, Ore.

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Comments

tinkertart says:

Awesome!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Mike PD says:

Great photo! How were you able to get a black background?
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

TC. says:

This looks like it could be from the pages of a National Geographic. Great shot!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

mark_twells says:

Lovely shot, technically, and the background is certainly not a distraction!

I'd like to see what he's eyeing up! (321)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

RevMike88 says:

Great capture. I like the way the background has been blacked out.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

khtoo says:

wow. 3-2-1
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Tim Glover [deleted] says:

Amazing shot! Incredible that you were able to get it through the glass.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

furry-photos says:

wonderful profile :)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Chung89 says:

amazing colour! the spots really stand out!
1-2-3 animal
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

Thank you, all. I'm proud of this one. :-)

@Mike PD -- he's in front of a fairly dark rock background, which I think you can still see slightly in the larger versions. It shouldn't be completely black. I did color correction in Photoshop, which made it darker, and then decided just to go a little further and really darken it so he stands out more.

@Tim in Texas -- agreed. I think my camera just isn't bothered by clean glass. Here's a shot of our aquarium at home, also through glass.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Sergio Lubezky says:

Thank you for rating and posting in the 100 Points group!!!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

enricod says:

very nice, great colors and details.
I like the crop you used, it focuses the attention on the eyes, giving the feel of concentrantion and attention of the leopard.
The black background helps.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

fiat luxe says:

Gorgeous. Period. Probably the second 10 I've ever given.

Rating #1:

Rated 10 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Romi S. says:

This is true perfection,I swear.
(btw,you're using the same camera I'm using,which is cool.)
The colors,the clarity and details are amazing!

Rating #2:

Rated 10 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

obiknobi says:

Even from the thumbnail a very strong picture. Really like it. Like the black space in front of him. Only improvement point: would like the chin not be cut of..
Rating #3:

Rated 9 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Molly Merrick says:

Oooh, you got such good scores, and now i'm going to go and give you a comparatively low one. I'm sorry, but here's why:
The leopards chin's cut off. The black background has some sort of weird oil-on-water effect going on. The color of the animal itself is weird, like you pumped up the saturation and the sharpness a whole lot maybe? While it kinda gives it a cool effect, i think this could be even more beautiful natural.

But it IS a really gorgeous cat.

Rating #4:

Rated 7 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

(Molly, just as an FYI - it's not a fully black background and the "oil-on-water" that you think you see is the dark rock behind him. All explained in comments above.) And no need to apologize for a rating. :)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

fussy tassy says:

great shot. exciting. amazing colors. the crop is fine with me.
Rating #5:

Rated 9 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

diogro says:

Rating #6:

Good shot, but i thins more detail with on the furr would really make it pop.

Rated 8 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Tamara van Molken says:

Great picture! Like the crop and the black background and the high contrast of the leopard.

Rating #7:

Rated 9 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Darny says:

Pretty good stuff! Love the background, the colors on the cat, and the contrast. Only thing I would have done was get more of his head, and not have cut the top and bottom off.

Rating #8:

Rated 8 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

jenschmen says:

this is beautiful! i love how the dark background brings out the contrast of the leopard's spots against the light fur. lovely crop too

Rating #9:

Rated 9 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

g to the off productions says:

this is a stunning shot. bright vibrant colors. wonderful framing. just the right touch of ps. brilliant.
Rating #10:

Rated 10 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Sergio Lubezky says:

Final rating in the 100 Points group is a massive 89 Points.

Well done!

Please request entry and publish this photograph in the 80-89 Points group and thank you very much for participating in the 100 Points group!!!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Rightend says:

Very cool!
123animals
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

belgianchocolate says:

the golden cat - what a capture.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

starrjewel13 says:

wow, what an incredibly beautiful capture! gorgeous!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Erik R. Bishoff says:

You've gotten quite a bit of feedback on this one. I'd like to throw my hat into the ring.

Wow is right... a very handsome critter you captured here.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

SmartMarmot says:

Beautiful! Would like to see the chin though.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

martytdx says:

They are quite impressive, aren't they? I had the opportunity to photograph one at the Philadelphia Zoo a few weeks back.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

laszlo-photo says:

I really like your animal photo!
You are invited to post this photo to Spectacular Animals, invite only

www.flickr.com/groups/spectacular_animals/
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

-Nicole- says:

What a spectacular shot. I love the profile of the head against the dark background, it's so crisp looking, and catches the eye so wonderfully. Really well done with this shot!!

(Spectacular Animals)
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

clintnosleep says:

This is damn good. I'm not sure what you did to get this look (enhanced contrast and saturation?), but it's awesome. What a great looking animal!

(Spectacular Animals)
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

QuiteLucid says:

Wonderful shot... Great focus. Instant fav.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

greyaenigma says:

Very nice photo.

RIP Amur Leopard, 2006.
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

моe says:

wow! amazing!
a fave

Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

xenonb. says:

WOW!!! Breathtaking!!!

Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Jamie Amodeo says:

Exellent angle nice crop well done

Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

livingston-photography.com says:

needs to be on explore!

Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

hvhe1 says:

Wow! Wow! Wow! Instant fave. Great portrait of my favorite animal.

Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

borealnz says:

Such a gorgeous animal, you have captured his beauty perfectly.

Thanks for sharing in our Black Background theme at
The World Through My Eyes
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

macropoulos says:

Impressive portrait!

Black Background theme at
The World Through My Eyes
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

Thank you borealnz and markopoulos and everyone whom I forgot to thank earlier. Your comments and faves are appreciated. This is a favorite of mine. :-)
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

prajna45 says:

Who needs black and white when you have black and tawny? It's great.

The World Through My Eyes
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

Thank you, prajna45. :-)
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

andwat72 says:

Brilliant shot of an extremely rare cat.

Seen in TWTME Black background thread
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

moocatmoocat says:

wonderful detail, I especially like the clarity of his eye. What a beauty.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

Thank you both for your kind words!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Tamar Weinberg says:

I love it, Matt.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt McGee says:

- thanks Tamar. :-)
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

DeydraOZ says:

^^ That is a beautiful picture of him.
Amur Leopards really are gorgeous cats. I hope that someday they will be off that dreaded endangered list.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

black-cheetah says:

omg i feel bad for thoughs cats.... we he is just wow gorgeous!!!
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Philerooski says:

brilliant colors..

--
http://apps.gagalabs.com/flickr/interestingby ?id=51035750608@N01&theme=white (?)
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken in Portland, Oregon (map)
Taken with a Canon PowerShot S2 IS.
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Taken on April 7, 2006
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Amur Leopard

Comments

tinkertart says:

Mike PD says:

TC. says:

mark_twells says:

RevMike88 says:

khtoo says:

Tim Glover [deleted] says:

furry-photos says:

Chung89 says:

Matt McGee says:

Sergio Lubezky says:

enricod says:

fiat luxe says:

Romi S. says:

obiknobi says:

Molly Merrick says:

Matt McGee says:

fussy tassy says:

diogro says:

Tamara van Molken says:

Darny says:

jenschmen says:

g to the off productions says:

Sergio Lubezky says:

Rightend says:

belgianchocolate says:

starrjewel13 says:

Erik R. Bishoff says:

SmartMarmot says:

martytdx says:

laszlo-photo says:

-Nicole- says:

clintnosleep says:

QuiteLucid says:

greyaenigma says:

моe says:

xenonb. says:

Jamie Amodeo says:

livingston-photography.com says:

hvhe1 says:

borealnz says:

macropoulos says:

Matt McGee says:

prajna45 says:

Matt McGee says:

andwat72 says:

moocatmoocat says:

Matt McGee says:

Tamar Weinberg says:

Matt McGee says:

DeydraOZ says:

black-cheetah says:

Philerooski says:

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