This is a very good composition, however, I agree that the image needs some work. It is quite overcast with grey which is typical of digital scans or photos sometimes. I am also a fan of levels but I also finish off using curves to tweek the image just the way I like it. I think Jim's rendition has removed the "cloud" and corrected the color. I personally would brighten up the colors a bit but I think it's important not to over do it. Eric's rendition in my opinion has stepped over the reality line as he admits himself. I think the green got layed on a little heavy in this one. Somewhere in the middle is where I like to be. Since everyone else had their hand at this, I couldn't resist adding my personal touch. That way you'll have 4 variations of the same photo to choose from. Color is subjective to the viewer, however, the "cloud" should be removed regardless and can be done quite easily by bringing your triangles to the edge of the histogram in levels. Just make sure your numbers all match in R, G, and B modes, otherwise your color correction will be off. This is probably the longest critique I've written in a while, but I love tigers, so...
First thing I noticed is the blurry foliage near the tigers face. In fact I at first thought there was something between you and the tiger. It's tough with these types of shots to be conscious of your background, but it is something to consider. Your file also was in dire need of color correction. I did a very quick pass to show you the difference. This was done in photoshop via the Auto Contrast and Auto Level functions. Both adjustments made dramatic differences. You can use the Curves setting in place of the Levels, but thats a matter of preference. I hope this helps.
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{K:4294} 11/11/2003
