On the lookout

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 17, 2012164 views10 comments

The shot was taken early in the morning, just after 7.00am on a dull and overcast day in the Mara. We had been following this female as she made her way, hearing the calls from the bellowing male somewhere in the distance. She had paused for a moment, taking in the herd of Impala a little way in the distance.

Steve
Subject: Lioness on lookout (Panthera leo)
Location: Maasai Mara
Camera: Canon MKIII
Lens: 500f/4 - HH
Exposure: 1/250s at f/4 ISO640 0 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop (original capture horizontal)

Normally I would present this flipped L to R, but left it as shot

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Mario Moreno on March 17, 2012 at 7:41 AM

Perfect pose, light and plenty of detail in this fantastic capture ....... Great work !

Registered on January 24, 2012, 163 Posts, 369 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on March 17, 2012 at 12:49 PM

Great pose, wonderful BG, and great detail. Really well done. This looks like the matriarch with lots of battle scars (check out her ear). Proud and fierce. Great image.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on March 17, 2012 at 12:53 PM

Wonderful portrait, with great expression, excellent detail and a smooth background- My congrats, Fabio

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

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on March 17, 2012 at 9:03 PM

Very nicely done! Love the open mouth, the fixed gaze and the bokeh!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on March 18, 2012 at 1:54 PM

A strong portrait Steve, I like the head turn with both eyes visible. The light and coloration are also very much to my liking. I do find it a bit too centered as presented.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 18, 2012 at 2:13 PM

'I do find it a bit too centered as presented.'

Interesting, another SA thought the same thing.

I wanted to include the powerful shoulders, therefore if you add the RoT's to it, you will find the body/head equals 2/3rds with a 1/3rd for the lioness to look into.

Well that was my thinking.

cheers
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on March 18, 2012 at 5:31 PM

Super sharp, great light, great details (As per usual)

You can get away from the 'centered' look by cropping just a sliver from RHS and maybe from bottom to prevent it from 'squaring up'?

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 18, 2012 at 5:52 PM

Cheers Morkel.

Hope this explains my thinking. Initial crop should have been slightly deeper. BTE ignore the brightness icon in the screen grab, but it's the only way i can show the grid.

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 19, 2012 at 12:01 PM

Terrific detail, light and color Steve, but the partially open mouth is what really makes this even better. Great work Steve.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on March 20, 2012 at 4:18 PM

I like the crop as presented Steve. Merely mentioned that it could work with some more off the RHS and also off the bottom (to prevent it from looking square) if one wanted the eye on the ROT line

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