The Approach

[Cindy Cone]

I've been thinking about Kenya a lot these days, so I've been perusing some older files. This was taken in the Mara a few years ago. Thanks for looking.

Canon 5D, 1/800 at f/7.1, 100-400 mm zoom at 100.

[Fabs Forns]

Very intimate scene, Cindy, and great detail on the male's body. Wish you took a different angle as not to have their face merge with the trees. Would also take some off the sky as to move the horizon off center.

Big welcome to BPN!!! :)

[David Kennedy]

Agree with Fabs re: a different angle. The light is great, but the male lion's face is somewhat obscured, and it would be nice to see more of the face of the lionness as well--she is looking away from the viewer and away from the male. Great mood!

[Jasper Doest]

I also agree with the comments about the angle, although it's very difficult in Africa to choose a higher or lower angle (as you're shooting from a vehicle). In my opinion the placement of the Lions is really well chosen, and I don't really mind the side lighting here. The colours look really nice, if only you would have chosen a different angle.

[Cindy Cone]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I realized the angle was wrong as I took this one, so I managed to find a window space to get a lower angle for the rest of the series. Unfortunately, I cropped off the male's back legs and tail for the subsequent shots, as shown here.

[D. Robert Franz]

You've captured some wonderful subjects and interaction.. This is what I call an animalscape. The same guidelines that apply ot a successful landscape apply to an image such as this. You have a strong FG and point of interest with the lions. I wish the males head was in a better position as in the 2nd posting and not shadowed. The savana and acaca trees give the image a feeling a depth. The sky gives the viewer a sense of infinite space. The horizon splits the frame 50/50 a crop of the top till you get a 2/3 FG to1/3 sky would be great. Animalscape can be difficult of pull off but when you do they are truely works of art...