Anticipation

Canon EOS 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM MK II @ 200mm, Aperture Priority @ f/8 (1/1000 sec), +2/3 EV, ISO 400, Handheld, JPEG from RAW, Cropped About 50% from Full Frame

A pair of White-Backed Vultures waiting in anticipation of their moment for feasting on … well, don't actually know what it was for sure, but word back at camp suggested there'd been a Lion kill earlier that day in the same area; one of those situations where the dense bush in Kruger National Park (South Africa) proves to be something of a disadvantage, at least to wildlife photographers!

Just prior to noticing these two, I'd been trying to shoot a much smaller subject (a bird, but can't for the life of me remember which sort!) in the shade of a thicket close to where we were parked. Having had the Vultures pointed out to me and seeing them set so nicely against the wonderfully blue sky, I immediately changed priorities and squeezed off a few frames with my 70-200 without even bothering to change my exposure compensation; main idea being get a shot first, then see how I could improve on it if they stayed in place.

As things turned out – which was far from the first time things have turned out for me like this! - no sooner had a clicked the 500mm + 1.4 x TC into the body of my 7D and brought the compensation value down, than both subjects launched into space leaving me behind with the right tools at the correct settings … and nothing to shoot but a dead tree, such is life, sometimes ;^)

If you've taken the time to read this, please spare a moment more to click on the larger version, as the catchlights you'll see in both subject's eyes do make a significant difference to what you see here in the smaller version.

Critique and comments always welcome.