Hostile Takeover

[Morkel Erasmus]

Continuing my lion kill series from the Kgalagadi...

I've finally written a comprehensive blog post on the sighting with a whole series of images in the right sequence - check it out:
http://saffascapes.blogspot.com/2013/01/just-another-kalahari-morning.html

The 2 males were lying asleep further away, but as soon as the lionesses had the eland down, they moved in...

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f5.6 @ 1/640 SS @ ISO-1600
full frame side-to-side

[Tom Rambaut]

Great series of images on blog, gives the background to the final presented image here. If there is one place you could go in Africa for wildlife photography were would it be?

[Andrew Merwin]

Great pix & story on your blog Morkel. I like the low contrast image here as it depicts the pre-dawn light. Also, I like the story the image tells. The viewer knows that the male is taking over the lioness's kill. Good action here also. TFS.

[Rachel Hollander]

Fantastic image Morkel. Great blog post, one can feel your excitement and the series of images is just outstanding.

TFS,
Rachel

[Shreyas Mantri]

This is quite a sighting and so well captured, Morkel - congratulations on that :cheers:
Am supremely jealous as am yet to witness a kill finish to end. Glad you didn't have trembling hands from excitement on this one!!

Many thanks for sharing!

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel ,
great action shot of yours.
Like the whole composition a lot, for KTP great low POV, where ?

Your typical style of processing works nice , but i think the image could stand some more TC, without destroying the morning? colors. And some little USM (a tad for me).
I do see a hint of blue coming through on the legs and hooves of the eland , easy to solve.

Great image , Morkman.:cheers:

Cheers Andreas

[Loi Nguyen]

Morkel

fantastic image and a story to tell!

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Morkel,

I like the comp very much with the lion coming into the scene from the left.
Great image

ciao Anette

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, well I've enjoyed the series, but the last one certainly nails the action, still to be posted. Would like to have seen this with the 200-400 as the whole of the lion would have been in, not so keen on the partial walk in.

I hear what you are saying about light & dust, but I do think some more tonal depth does bring it all together, but then it's an observation. Sadly would have like to have been there to appreciate the conditions.

Might fire off the last one back to you at some point just as a comparison.

TFS
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks for your comments, folks.
Steve - if I had a 200-400 I probably would have used it for this sighting :e3 but I'm not totally convinced that having all of the male in would've focused the action on the moment and expressions as well here? :eek3:
I'm always keen to at least try - so here's a quick repost with some LCE added and some dodging of highlights and midtones on the lions. I do like it better for punch - perhaps I should just tell my brain to forget the conditions it was shot under? We need to 'optimise' the files afterall? :e3

Which one is your "last one"? The last one on the blog is one of the jackals :w3. Fire that email!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, as 'the poster'/author you know as we always say, the conditions/environment/light etc and most of the time the camera will capture the scene pretty well, thereafter it's down to PP and, our perception when we see things, so suggesting I think is only how we 'think' it might look or be enhanced to bring out more potential.

It's the male lion with the kill I refer too posted a few days ago elsewhere, probably Tuesday, slaving over a hot kitchen as I type, and tomorrow is another busy, day so it will follow. :S3: I'm just thinking of tonal richness/depth rather than a slightly thinner image, if that makes sense. PROBABLY totally wrong, just a thought, but lest see.

[Brendon Cremer]

Lovely image Morkel, great sighting and action very well captured, i like the dust and also find it challenging to find a happy medium between the actual conditions and the way i feel it looks best most of the time i lean more towards what looks best but still keeping it real.

[Sid Garige]

but I'm not totally convinced that having all of the male in would've focused the action on the moment and expressions as well here? :eek3:
I'm always keen to at least try - so here's a quick repost with some LCE added and some dodging of highlights and midtones on the lions. I do like it better for punch - perhaps I should just tell my brain to forget the conditions it was shot under? We need to 'optimise' the files afterall? :e3


I am with you on not including the full male Morkel. It gives more attention to the action. Still for some reason I like your original low contrast image more than this one.
-Sid

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, this was where I was going in my thinking, but as to wether it portrays the scene as it was, well...

In pinching the Histogram in Levels on both sides to meet the axis it adds a bit more depth/character. Applying a Curves mid-tone adjustment and an overlay for the lighter markings. Any colour change is through the adjustments, but no real shift apart from a tonal one.

I have fwd another image, still to be posted I guess, but you will see how it fits in I think? Would welcome your thoughts too.

cheers
Steve