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Lying in Wait
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Lying in Wait

by SandyRichardsBrown

Gallery: WildlifePosted July 12, 2014303 views5 comments
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, S Africa
2014:05:18

Almost missed this lady who was lying motionless in the grass less than 30 feet from our truck, at dawn. A small group of impala was nearby.

D800
80-400mm at 80mm
1/125 sec, f/7.1
Mode: Program
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 250
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 12, 2014 at 4:49 PM
Very cool, Sandy. It looks like the focus locked on to the grass in front of the lioness, but it ends up lending a very painterly look to the larger image. Gorgeous light and a great catch.

:toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Thomas Haney on July 13, 2014 at 10:38 AM
Beautiful shot Sandy. I love all the lines leading through the image. If it were mine i'd consider lowering the clarity a bit to soften the hard edges.
Registered on April 7, 2013, 138 Posts, 537 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on July 13, 2014 at 11:37 AM
Very nice Sandy. I agree that the focus was not on the eyes. That was a tough shot with all the grass in front. If it were mine, I would experiment with pulling down the brightness on the lioness's face just a bit. Great capture.
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on July 14, 2014 at 9:56 AM
I like the sense of tension created with the intensity and direction of her stare. What is the round shape in front of her? I find it a bit distracting. How much crop does this show? I am curious about how much the D800 sensor allows.
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Hill on July 14, 2014 at 10:56 AM
Hey Sandy,

Nice moment you captured here - love the mood. I noticed the softness of the subject as well (when looking at the larger version) - thinking the grass did interfere with your focus somewhat. To me this image looks somewhat over-exposed - I think if you pulled down the exposure globally (by a fair amount...I'm thinking in the .67 to 1 stop range) I think it would come to life and look more like dawn (rather than a mid-day shot).

Cheers...

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