Forest King

[Morkel Erasmus]

Sorry for being a bit inactive these last 2 days. My daughter was taken to hospital with pneumonia yesterday (though she luckily wasn't admitted) and today (and this whole weekend) I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday in a myriad of ways.

I did want to upload something here on BPN on my birthday, so here you go. :5
Another image of the lion roaring in the forest of Mana Pools. Framed vertically, this is pretty much full frame.

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
1.4x teleconverter
f5.6 | 1/250 SS | ISO-1400

Higher resolution: http://500px.com/photo/14759631

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Mork, I like the light on the big fellow, and he pops nicely from the surrounding BG. I also like the space you have allowed in the overall vertical comp. Just a personal thing, and although FF, I may have added a bit more space below.

Glad everything turned out fine with your daughter, and Happy Birthday. :cheers:

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks Stu. Should've mentioned that I purposefully framed like this to exclude the road it was lying next to...

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel, firstly good luck for your daughter to recover from sickness, secondly HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you :5.

Now the image, like the composition after you explained the reason the crop.I can hear the roar through the landline.Need to return to africa.

Nice landscape in the back, made with your usual IQ.

Personally i would add a tad more sharpening to the lion itself , and reduce the blue /cyan in the shadow areas. Just my thoughts. I know it is more or less natural looking ,but still i would reduce it a bit.

Like mostly always i quite like it. Well done.

Cheers Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - I hope Aimee has a speedy recovery and that you have a very happy birthday and fun weekend celebrating. Nice image to celebrate with. I really like the way the lion is dwarfed by the trees and you can feel his roar. I agree with Andreas on the slight cast to the shadow areas.

TFS and happy birthday again,
Rachel

[Andrew Merwin]

Happy Birthday Morkel. I also hope that Aimee has a speedy recovery & is back to her usual energetic antics.

I like this image. The trees dwarfing the lion challenges my perception that lions are large powerful beasts. I like the BG & the light in this image. Also, I think the small FG contributes to the image by further reducing my perception of the lion's size. All good.

[Jamie Douglas]

Happy Birthday Morkel and very glad to hear your daughter is ok. Enjoy the big 30, down hill from there, time for ear hairs

I find my eye is slightly distracted by the lit up branches mid image. Maybe see if toning down the lit branch a touch makes a difference. Lion pops nicely.

Jamie

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, firstly a speedy recovery for your daughter and congrats on a small milestone in age. :cheers:

My comment really is the same as the wider image, I would tone down slightly the highlights in the BKG, likewise the one on the tree trunk, LHS. I would also if posting elsewhere clone out the sliver of road at the foot, blend it in to the mid grey, I only noticed in based on you initial comment. I very much like the pose & position, but wish for more below, however I understand the rational to this. Nice light.

TFS
Steve

[Russell Johnson]

Great image, not much to add to the above. Though would certainly look at the BG highlights.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks a lot folks. Will have a look at those highlights.
Steve - do you mind doing a repost where you implement the suggestion for the road? :e3

[Steve Kaluski]

Morkel, it's a thin wedge running left to right at the foot of the image about 2-3mm LHS running as a slope to the centre, slightly darker grey, have sent you the image. I think it is where the 'soil' means the road. It's a slight crop IMHO.

Let me know. :S3:

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks, yes I see what you mean, it's the sand from the "middle man" of the dirt road. :S3:

[Steve Canuel]

Guess I missed this one first time around Morkel. Hope all is well with your daughter and you as well after celebrating your 30th. You did another nice job on capturing this place. I like the canopy up top and the golden light shining in. Looks like a great place to wander about.