Morning light ISO 640, F6.3, 1/640, 800mm This is probably my favorite photograph of an Amur leopard in the wild. It was made in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve in the Russian Far East in late 2013. Despite snow, it was a dull and gloomy morning. A leopard appeared on the mountain top out of nowhere. However hard I listened, I could not hear its footsteps. A very special moment followed. The leopard, clearly visible against the backdrop of the dark forest, stood still on a rock covered with dry leaves and snow. It turned its head, raised its tail and looked up obliquely…. At the same time first sunlight fell on its magnificent muzzle. It was all dusk around the leopard as the sun had yet to rise above the mountain top. Isn’t that incredible? All the small things worked together… The leopard, sunlight and snow… The leopard stood still on the rock and looked up at the first sunlight struggling through the dense forest... And, most importantly, I was there with a camera. The magic moment went by and one of the most awesome and rarest cats in the world disappeared behind the trees like a shadow as if this scene on the rock had ever happened.... You are welcome to my page to follow my work at https://facebook/nikolai.zinoviev.3
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 10:59:34 +0000