Mating Lions

Gallery: WildlifePosted August 26, 2011347 views18 comments

These Lions gave us plenty of opportunities over a period of 2 hours until the sun faded away.

Taken in Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana, 5th March 2009

EOS 1D MkIII

500mm F4 IS hand-held from open game viewing vehicle

F5.6, ISO 500, 1/800, EV +0.33

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 26, 2011 at 6:38 AM

Really nice image - the lions are sharp, and nicely muted by the grasses. A very natural and intimate

image.
sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on August 26, 2011 at 6:43 AM

A simple and powerful image, with no distracting elements.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on August 26, 2011 at 6:44 AM

Ken:
Wow! really good. The lions are in sharp focus and the grass provides a soft bg with muted colors.

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on August 26, 2011 at 9:26 AM

Love the expression/pleasure of love making of cats captured. Nice setting with no distraction,must have been a great experience to sight this.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on August 26, 2011 at 10:36 AM

Really nice capture. I like the sense of mirrored expressions and the simplicity of shapes for a pleasing composition. No nits whatsoever, and I think this is much superior to the version you posted earlier of the same couple.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on August 26, 2011 at 11:49 AM

Great expressions n wonderful setting here !

I may prefer to do some experiments about placement of lions in the frame.

Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 26, 2011 at 9:37 PM

Great behavior photo Ken

Love the expression captured on the male. Sweet Photo!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on August 27, 2011 at 12:55 AM

Thanks everybody your comments are greatly appreciated.

Lon,
I agree with you?

Jagdeep,

This is virtually full frame

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

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on August 27, 2011 at 11:13 AM

Nice image of the mating pair. I like the shallow DoF and the soft grasses all-round. Great detail in the faces of the pair. Well done.

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 28, 2011 at 4:07 PM

Terrific image Ken, the expressions and placement of their faces makes this special.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on August 28, 2011 at 11:36 PM

Very dramatic expressions! Like the surrounding grass as well.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on August 29, 2011 at 4:48 PM

Love the head-on view and the simplicity of the all-grass surrounds here Ken. IMHO this one has the best IQ I've seen from your images...

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

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on August 29, 2011 at 11:49 PM

Neal, Nate, & Dan,

Thanks for your comments most appreciated.

Morkel,

Thanks and it was taken with what some people believe was a not very good camera

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

Comment posted by Verdon on August 30, 2011 at 12:03 AM

great expressions, that's different "rock and roll"

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on August 30, 2011 at 6:17 PM

mmhmm...I believe most people had gripes with the Mk3's AF issues and not IQ issues...at least on the earlier models

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

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on September 1, 2011 at 5:22 PM

Great catch- Perfect timing, excellent detail and a pleasant warm palette on this one- My congrats, fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Olsen on September 5, 2011 at 5:52 PM

An image with lots of power and emotion! What a thing to witness!!

Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on February 12, 2015 at 9:24 AM

Been looking at some of your earlier images. This is one of my favorites.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments