49.6

Many thanks to all of you who voted on the Leopard at Sunrise composite, and all the more to those of you who shared your preference and comments, which were very interesting to note, as it helps me to see which are indeed the stronger images of this series and specifically which particular elements helped make them so.

Going by votes casted thus far, seems that C and D are the most popular, so least I can do is post up larger versions of each.

As to a little more background on this shoot: This is the same female Leopard I've posted up several times before here in my gallery. She shares an enclosure with a male with whom the rangers are hoping she will eventually take as a partner and produce offspring, though she's definitely the one calling the shots!

Of all the trees within their enclosure, this is the one she's claimed as her own and apparently most enjoys spending some “alone time” in. Knowing this and the direction of where the sun would rise enabled me to figure out the best place to position myself in at the optimum moment, then of course it was up to a certain degree of good fortune as to whether Mother Nature would provide wonderful light and the lady Leopard's inclination at the right time.

Perhaps needless to say, but just to make it clear, I was actually outside the enclosure shooting though the wire fence; daring as I may be, I felt these somewhat temperamental felines would be more comfortable this way ;^)

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