Lioness

Gallery: WildlifePosted July 15, 201188 views10 comments

This was taken quite early on an extremely cold morning just as the sun was rising, she is moving towards the waterhole at Ghara gab camp in Kgaladi Transfrontier Park 19th June 2011

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 hand held from stoop of our cabin

F6.3, ISO 800, 1/640

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 15, 2011 at 5:49 PM

Great job with the backlighting. I especially like how her color blends with the sand and the splash of sand near her rear foot.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on July 15, 2011 at 8:54 PM

Terrific backlighting on the lioness. I thought to myself if a lower perspective (if at all possible) would have accentuated the backlighting further. But then all those interesting patterns in the sand would have been lost. All in all, you made great use of this amazing opportunity from your cabin

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on July 16, 2011 at 12:57 AM

Thanks for your comments, a lower perspective would have been nice but much to dangerous for me

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on July 16, 2011 at 1:22 AM

Good to know you were staying in Gharagab Ken, I love that camp, great place to chill for 2 days and watch the rolling dunes and waterhole. No lions on our stay though we had brown hyena drinking every night, and I can appreciate how far this was from your aloof stoop (definitely not safe to go down there for a lower angle).

Nice light and moment.

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on July 16, 2011 at 2:34 AM

Morkel,

"Chill" is a very appropriate choice

We saw the Brown Hyena twice, but too far away and too dark, one day?

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on July 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM

Hi Ken,

I'm in agreement with the comments on the others (at least the positive ones!). As a Canadian who often shoots at -30C I find the comments about the cold almost amusing - it's all frame of reference, eh?

While I really like the image as posted, I'm wondering about two things (and truly wondering - they may not work). First, I think adding just a little on the bottom of the frame (if you have it) might strengthen the composition a little? That would pull the cat a little off the midpoint (vertically) and I think add even a little more "context". Second, I'm thinking a TAD more contrast (and I'm not sure if it should be global or just to the cat) might add some "pop" to this shot? Just thinking out loud...

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on July 16, 2011 at 9:26 AM

Stunning frame !
Lighting couldn't be better and the pattern of sand and the flying sand looks beautiful !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on July 17, 2011 at 1:03 AM

Brad,

It is supposed to be at least warm in Africa, but the cold in the winter catches a lot of visitors out every year. The lowest temperature I know of was in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe where it reached -17C!! Not nice in an open game viewing vehicle I would think

I tried your suggestions and it seems to work, I always have trouble with backlit images.

Jagdeep,

Thanks a lot.