Lion in the Okavango

[Tom Speelman]

168848Hi All,
First post on birdphotographers.net and looking forward to learning a lot. For some reason I can't get the image attached correctly so that it fits within the frame of the post so you can see how it is composed. It looks like the lion is centered in the frame but that's not the way it was composed. Sorry.

Nikon D4s, 80-400mm, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 2500

Shot in the Okavango Delta, Botswana just after sunrise

A male lion surveying the surrounding plains.
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[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Tom - Welcome to BPN and the Wildlife Forum. Beautiful first post of a majestic male lion. I took the liberty of editing your post to remove the duplicate of the image. Not sure what you mean by the lion being centered because it is not. I like the comp with the lion to the left in the frame. The pano works but if you have more room below I would like to see that as alternative with room for the virtual body. It helps with the critique process if you tell us a little about the pp including which program you use. Very nice warm light but the image has a red cast to it. I took the image into ACR and adjusted the WB and whitened the whites, then in PS I darkened the greens of the grasses which appear to still be in shade. WDYT? Btw did you apply any NR to the lion? It looks a little smooth.

The best way to get the most out of BPN and to learn fast is to participate. We recommend commenting on 3-5 other wildlife images each time you post one of your own. It lets us all get to know and learn from each other and fosters a sense of community. Your comments do not have to be technical in nature. Just tell us what you like or don't like about an image.

TFS and looking forward to seeing more,
Rachel

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Rachel,

thanks so much for the feedback. However, after your color temp change, the lion no longer looks the way it did in the light in which it was photographed. It's nice looking but to my eye, your change seems to have introduced a yellowish color cast.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Tom - Yes, mine is more yellow than red. I used the eye dropper on the closest area I could find to a mid-grey (the mane behind the ear). However, as you said, you were there. No problem if you don't like the changes.

Rachel

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Rachel - Yes, the lion was shot right at sunrise when there typically is redder light. And minor processing I did was in LR and PS. Point taken on sharpening. I did some very localized sharpening right around the eyes. It probably needs a bit more general sharpening. I'm always sensitive to not oversharpen so I no doubt erred in the wrong direction on this one. Also, thanks for the suggestion about the virtual body. I think there's some room on the bottom to do that.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Tom, and another warm welcome, was this at Duba???

Techs look OK, providing the subject to 'pop' from the BKG nicely, was the kit supported or HH. I quite like the format of crop and the Lion being more off-set to the left, but wonder if a tad more below would help and a sliver more above? The warm light is cool, but fell you can expand on that to get a richer and more greater depth to the capture, but this is all through addressing the colour rather than Vibrance or Saturation. Just watch the chin going too white. The grass looks sharp, but the main subject appears to have a 'softening' appearance to the finer detail, have you run any NR on the image, as perhaps the mask is still over the main subject????

Look forward to more from your trip.

I've tied to illustrate my feedback too, adding some more sharpening (albeit I still feel the subject has some effect on it so you can do much more), however it's never ideal working with a web image. Your OP is better on the highlights in the grass, i've just pushed it a bit too much, but it's the overall colour that is key.

TFS
Steve

[keith mitchell]

Hi Tom,welcome to this forum I'm sure you will enjoy it.Sounds like good technical points raised by Rachel and Steve.I really do like the way this magnificent Lion is popping up in the grasses,very nice indeed.

Keith.

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Keith - Thanks for the welcome. Looking forward to learning a lot here. All the best, Tom

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Steve, Thanks for the welcome and, yes, it was at Duba. I was shooting a D5 with a 200-400 and a D4s with an 80-400. The 200-400 combo was used on a beanbag but since this was shot with the 80-400, it probably was HH. Thanks for the thoughts on the crop and getting more depth in the shot. Clearly I need to go back and relook at sharpening and any related NR on this image.
Thanks for taking time to make the adjustments to the post to illustrate your inputs.
All thr best, Ton

[Stuart Philpott]

Hi Tom another of the warmest of welcomes,it's an incredible place to learn Tom,even though i'm slower than a slow thing,the kindness and advice I have been gifted here are quite something. I hope you really enjoy your time here.
Tom I'm probably the least gifted in the group very much learning the basics,so my posts won't be centered on the more technical aspects. But what a cool first post,as always a joy to see the edits and coments as well. I love the soft morning light hitting his face mate, I like your crop with him set off to one side but I too want a bit more below him especially. Just curious on the sharpening aspect as noted above the grasses do look sharper than the lion ,where was the active focal point please Tom.

Gorgeous first post Tom, looking forwards to seeing more from you very soon

take care

stu

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Stu, Thanks for the welcome and your thoughts on the post. I'm planning on going back and taking another look at the crop and see what I can do along the lines of the suggestions I've received. Also, am going to relook the sharpening. Thanks again for the input and the warm welcome.
All the best,
Tom

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Tom another warm welcome to BPN and the wildlife section ...good place to learn and share .
You have already received a lot of good suggestions and comments .... will not repeat them all.
I like the great light , the intense colors and the gaze of the great looking lion .
I do agree with the others regarding some issues , apart from the original color .

Keep them coming.

TFS Andreas

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Andreas, thanks for the welcome. Appreciate the input. I've gotten some excellent suggestions to improve the shot. I'll definitely go back and work on it in light of the inputs.
All the best,
Tom

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Tom!
And a very warm welcome from me too:wave:

Lovely first post on the Wildlife Forum. I like the composition and the light is just stunning. What gorgeous male lion and the pose is superb.

Nice work in the field, techs look really good. Not sure about NR on the lion, it almost looks as if you added some special effects? I really hope to see an RP from you implementing those suggestions you received, as well as more images from your Duba trip. Always exciting to have new members posting, many thanks for sharing!

Kind regards,

[Tom Speelman]

Hi Gabriela, thanks for the welcome. I appreciate the warm reception I've received from everyone. There are no special effects added unless you ended up on one of the images that other folks have made changes to. The original that I posted most definitely had no special effects. Thanks for your thoughts. Those and the ones for other posters will help me go back and take a serious try at improving the image.
All the best,
Tom

[Mike Poole]

A bit late to the party, but another welcome from me, and a lovely image. I really like the way this is lit and the framing above the grasses.

Plenty of good advice already, hope to see more.

Mike

[Tom Speelman]

Mike, Mamy thanks for the kind welcome. All the best, Tom