One of the most iconic scenes in the African wilderness is a leopard draped effortlessly across the limbs of a marula or leadwood tree. It’s a moment that stills the vehicle and draws every camera to eye-level.

On a recent morning at Londolozi, we had the same idea as Nic in his recent blog. We set off early with high hopes that the Ngungwe Female would still have a portion of her kill draped in the marula tree she was seen in the afternoon before, although there was a very small amount left. We had hopes that if she was still there with the rising sun, it would all become the perfect opportunity to hopefully capture some iconic leopard photographs in a marula tree. In this blog, I will take a deeper look at how to snap a high-key photo.

Thankfully, she was there as we arrived. We couldn’t believe it, as we saw her from a distance away, and suddenly her kill fell to the hyenas below. We then approached with the sky behind her, a washed-out canvas of early light.

She had just dropped her kill from the upper branches and watched below as two hyenas began feeding. We knew there was another branch on the other side of the tree that she could potentially settle on, so we looped around and waited patiently for her to hopefully come our way.

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Ngungwe 3:3 Female

2020 - present

Born 2020 during lockdown to Piccadilly Female. Once skittish, now confident mother denning her first litter in Marthly's rocky terrain.

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We then decided to reposition to view a horizontal branch that would receive the first light from the sun, and wait, as she would need to use that branch to descend the tree. Fortunately, she was well fed, and two hyenas were finishing off the kill below, meaning she would likely rest up on the bare branch before descending. To our delight, she climbed to that branch and settled down for a bit.

She came down and rested on the bare branch as the hyenas finished the remains of her kill. We then sat patiently and waited for the morning light

With the winter glow, the first light is dreamy when washing over the subject. However, as the sun became more intense and the dappled light faded, it would create a perfect opportunity for a high-key photograph.

And then the light came.

The photograph of the sighting was taken when everything lined up. She repositioned to face outwards. Her tail was on our side of the branch, and the light had intensified and was even across her, and for a brief moment, something caught her attention.

This was the kind of opportunity that called for something a little different, a high-key approach.

Understanding High-Key in Wildlife Photography

High-key photography involves using bright lighting to reduce the contrast in an image. The background is often intentionally overexposed, resulting in an ethereal look that can help isolate your subject in a minimalistic, almost artistic way.

In wildlife photography, this approach isn’t about “correct” exposure, it’s about expressive storytelling.

A leopard in a tree lends itself beautifully to high-key when:

• The sky is pale or bright behind it (early morning or overcast conditions are ideal).

• There’s minimal background clutter.

• The animal is in profile or isolated against the sky.

• 

  The moment we were waiting for was when she repositioned herself in the tree. Unfortunately, she was too interested in the hyenas below, but this image was certainly worth the wait.

In the Moment: Camera Settings That Matter

When photographing in the field, you don’t always have the luxury of perfect positioning or lighting, but you can control your exposure.

Here’s how I typically approach it:

1. Expose for the Subject

Use exposure compensation (+1 to +2 stops) if you’re in aperture priority mode. This will brighten the background and allow you to retain detail in the leopard’s coat while letting the sky blow out. The camera’s meter will want to darken the scene, override it.

2. Use Spot or Centre-Weighted Metering

Focus your exposure on the leopard rather than the bright sky. This helps ensure you’re getting the right tones on your main subject. This needs to consider what your exposure is, but it can be very useful when the subject is moving, such as coming down the tree.

3. Shoot in RAW

Always. This gives you maximum flexibility in post-processing, especially with high-key imagery where delicate tone adjustments are key.

4. Keep ISO Low to Moderate

High-key images require a lot of tonal manipulation in post-processing. A clean file is easier to work with, so keep ISO as low as your shutter speed will allow, especially with stationary subjects in trees.

Patience is key and awaiting the moments for even light on her face.

Framing and Composition: Look Beyond the Obvious

When photographing a leopard in a tree, we’re tempted to zoom all the way in and frame the cat tightly. While that has its place, try to also:

• Include negative space. This works wonderfully in high-key images, creating an elegant, minimalistic look.

• Use branches as leading lines. Let the limbs draw the viewer’s eye toward the leopard.

• Try abstract framing. Focus on a paw draped over a branch or just the face against a white sky—this tells a different, more intimate story.

Post-Processing for High-Key Black and White

 Here’s a rough guide to bringing that high-key vision to life:

1. Lift the Exposure and Whites

Push the Exposure and Whites to brighten the image overall, especially the sky. Don’t be afraid to select only the background and overexpose it entirely. Fortunately, in this image, the scene was set with little needing overexposing.

2. Adjust Highlights with Care

Sometimes the highlights need softening to retain detail in the leopard’s fur. Especially if there’s backlight.

3. Increase Contrast and Clarity on the Subject

To avoid your leopard being lost in all that light, selectively increase Clarity, Texture, and Contrast on the subject using a brush or mask.

4. Desaturate Backgrounds

A high-key image often benefits from a subtle desaturation. Pull back on any remaining sky colour to reinforce that clean, airy aesthetic. Fortunately, in this setting, there was no background to adjust.

The end result.

Final Thoughts: Why It Matters

High-key wildlife photography isn’t about documenting reality; it’s about interpreting the moment. A leopard in a tree is not just a visual subject; it’s a symbol of wilderness, balance, and grace. When we strip away the distractions and let the light do the storytelling.

In this, both the natural morning light and the black and white photographs are my favourite. Some things to consider for next time are a more zoomed-out image to show the context of the leopard and the tree. Also, by zooming out, one could allow for a panoramic view of the scene.

So next time you find yourself looking up into the canopy of a tree at Londolozi with a leopard gazing back at you, think light. Think tone. Think emotion. And capture it all.