Lioness

[Steve Kaluski]

This pride of Lions were on the move and came within meters of the vehicle, so just enough time to get a head shot in, as the 200-400 was in the footwell. With hindsight probably landscape format not as shot. I could extend the BKG, no problem, but decided to leave as is. With this particular encounter we had been given permission to access the site as it belonged to another concession, a few days later things were not as smooth and the boundaries are very much fixed, sad for both guest & animals.

Enough distance between head and BKG to provide a nice soft backdrop and at 800 ISO no need to blur or any NR.

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Lioness (Panthera leo) young female, head shot, on the move
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon 1DX MKI
Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4ext MKIII HH
Exposure: 1/2500s at f/11 ISO800 EV +0.67
Original format: Portrait, very slight crop
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2015.5

[haseeb badar]

Hi Steve -- This is absolutely brilliant ! That image quality is so good , infact every single time the standard is maintained or raised . I like the details that you have got here and nice soft colours are so pleasing on the eyes . I also liked the grass strands at the bottom of the frame. I enjoyed viewing this image .

TFS !

[Steve Kaluski]

Thank you Hasseb, glad you liked it.


also liked the grass strands at the bottom of the frame.

A subtle addition I thought was worth retaining rather than removing, pure fluke it was there in frame. :bg3:

[John Hackney]

Wonderful portrait, lovely detail.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - this works quite well with excellent detail in both shadows and brighter areas. The comp works for me. Not bad for a grab shot:S3:

TFS,
Rachel

[Jonathan Ashton]

The thumbnail does not do the image credit this is in the same league as the polar bear - wow wonderful detail and just about zero noise - super image well done.

[Stuart Philpott]

Excellence in so many ways Steve,the subtle/soft dappled lighting ramps the level up here for me just stunning Steve beatutiful BKG to enhance her face love the light in her eye too. Superb Steve Many thanks for sharing and inspiring ahh Haseeb's right those grasses,lovely, all most subliminal detail that makes one eye hang on to the image.
Beautifully executed mate,Cor you have always knocked my socks off with your work Steve,but you really are on a roll of late,keep pushing buddy

take care

Stu

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve the high quality output as expected .... so well done on all technical counts .
Well controlled and detailed HL and SH .
I like the pose and gaze she gave you , for that grab shot .

TFS Andreas

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hey Steve.
I like the key light hitting her face and eyes. I am okay with the vertical framing and often resort to this with animals approaching at this angle. That being said - a square crop from bottom also couldn't hurt?

Sorry to hear about your issues with the concession boundaries!