Theme- Good Morning!!

[Andre Pretorius]

One of Fred's sons (he fathered many:t3) at the end of a yawn. Have captured the complete yawn, decided on this image as there are too many fully open mouth shots around- try something different.

If you have spent time with lions, you will realise they NEVER yawn with eyes open. No eye, sorry folks:tinysmile_shy_t:

Image was captured in early morning light, therefore the warm tone.

They were lying in the shade and moved one by one through a patch of sunshine past us, I was on 800 ISO for shade. Fred was like usual the last one to move. Will look for the old guy in Okt, don't think he will still be alive,
but he keeps on surprising us...

Nikon D3S
600F4
ISO 800
1/2000 @ F6.3
Aperture priority with Centre Weighted Average, 0EV.

PS A discovery that I must share with everyone:

When shooting a burst and I view the images in ViewNX, on the second image and there- after, no focus point was present. I make an effort when capturing a burst to keep focal point on eye or on the animal running etc.

I spent hours on the net investigating A/F settings and saw the light!! Found one article where the author pointed out that if your frame-rate in CH is more than 9 frames/second the focus point stays fixed where it was on
the first capture. If you shoot in low light, even the exposure stays the same:Whoa!:

Needless to say, moved from 11 frames/sec to 9 frames/sec. Have not had a chance to test the new setting. I use Back-focussing.

WDYT?

Andre

[Loi Nguyen]

Lovely portrait, good details and sharpness, sweet light and BG. No eye is OK. I think same with lions enjoying a meal, they often do it with their eyes closed. i understand it was early morning light and warm tone, but wonder whether the Yellow was too dominant. TFS. Loi

[Missy Mandel]

Andre, this is beautiful in every way!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andre, nice detail & killer BKG.
I agree with Loi, it's too yellow, however you may only want to adjust the subject only, also look at the colour of the gums? Good to know the penny has finally dropped and so we are in for a treat with your images now, techs loo good too. :cheers: I also like the way the whole face 'concertinas' as the lioness yawns. Looks like things are all moving in the right direction.

Not sure if the attached helps?

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Andreas - I agree, the eye is not a problem at all. I also felt the yellows were too strong and Steve's rp has taken care of this. Nice sharpness and detail. Interesting about the frame rate.

TFS,
Rachel

[Andre Pretorius]

Thank you Loi, Missy, Steve and Rachel.

Yip, in retrospect I can drop the sat on yellows:2eyes2:…..

Really appreciate suggestions..

Andre(as).

:t3

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Andre(as),
it is me Andreas , the real one from Germany.

Good portrait with nice colors , detail , contrast and sharpness.I like the snarl expression on the face, do not mind about the missing eye, in a real nice world i would like to see the head slightly turned to the viewer :eek3:.Nice BG.
After looking at Steve`s RP i would tend to go half way between the two.

TFS Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Sorry about that Andre. I got confused as to whose post it was. See that's what happens when you and Gabriela go off the grid for so long :eek3:

Rachel

[Andre Pretorius]

Went back to PSD, reduced sat on yellows and reds, added some black(+2) in neutrals, yellows and reds.

Better?

Apology accepted, Rachel:t3

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice detail and expression here Andre - yep not a problem with the eyes for me :w3.
Your RP also looks too yellow, perhaps even a touch too green too (they are often related when adjusting colour balance)?
I would go for something midway between your last post and Steve's RP.

Good to know the info on the AF, though my D3s was always on 9fps...