mom and cub (2)

[Tom Graham]

This is another pose from the same mom and cub scene I posted on 4-24.
Safari camp Nesfu, Zambia, Sep 2005. The previous post drew a couple questions about if kill blood caused the fur redness of the mothers chest. From this pose I think yes, that is the answer since you can almost see matted fur/blood under her chin.
Taken in very late afternoon, just enough sun to rim the edges. Same Canon S2 P&S, f4, 1/80, ISO ?, lens around 200mm equivalent. Cropped, minor cloning out of BG distractions, usual curves to try and pop the failing light, sharpened but original image will not take a lot. Besides I think it is sharp enough, you can see individual whiskers on mom and cub. Also lion body fur does not seem to like to sharpen. Each "hair" is very close in color and shade to its neighbor, very little edge between hairs. You need an "edge" to be able to sharpen.
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http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/6c0f2dc0ad4b80a607c7ad6dd16354cd6g.jpg
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Tom

[Todd Frost]

One cute little bugger. Thanks for the clarification on the red chest fur. I imagined that was the case. Love the stare given by the cub. At this size it looks sharp enough where it really counts, the face and eyes of the cub. Don't know if the cubs tail was visible in original or if inclusion would be beneficial. Nice sighting, TFS
Todd

[Steve Canuel]

Mom's exhausted, baby's ready to go! Cuteness of the baby overcomes any lack of sharpness for me. Besides, baby animals are supposed to be soft and cuddly.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Cute fellow. I like its stare. No amount of sharpening during post processing can make an unsharp image sharp. Care should be taken during photographing to get the image sharp. Low shutter speed is a major reason for soft images. With your technique and shooting conditions remaining the same, a higher shutter speed will bring out more details in the hairs. Look forward to more images of the cub.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Tom Graham]

Thanks all. I have a couple more of this cub with mom but too similar to the two already up here.

Agree about a sharp original. If the final image is not acceptably sharp then nothing else matters. That is why like SP above said, I first watch my shutter speed and work around it. But not then with that Canon S2, I simply let it do whatever it wanted :) . I set it on "P" for professional!!!!

Regarding sharp fur on any animal. Difficult to see because of what sharpness is, right? Sharpness is when you can see the edge, a difference in illumination. That is, when an edge changes from one brightness level to another. If the edge light change is not there, as in a coat of fur of the same color and light, you will not see sharpness. You will not see individual hairs. Here's a good little essay on sharpness at Luminous-Landscape, they have a lot of good tutorials - http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/sharpness.shtml
Tom

[Steve Kaluski]

I set it on "P" for professional!!!!

As far as I know Tom, 'P' is for Programme (a setting on most digital point & shot cameras), this is where the camera does it ALL for the view, all that he/she has to do is compose the image and press the button. To my knowledge Canon have never produced a camera where 'P' means Professional.

As previously stated, a digital image in it's nature is never sharp, visually it looks it, but all digital images require sharpening to different degrees, no one image is the same, unlike film.

Getting back to the image, the colour doesn't look true, or based on my impression the grass looks to vivid, the colour of the Lioness & cub needs tweaking, as again it is carrying too much yellow. There is no depth or detail in the lionesses head and the lh eyebrow looks too saturated and the eye has filled in. The cub does have a 'cute' factor, especially as it's looking directly to the viewer, but again, it is soft. Not to sure what you mean about an 'edge' to sharpen too, but the cub certainly has an edge and therefore could be sharpened? Having only 5 million pixels isn't a huge amount and therefore may also let you down in terms of what the file will allow you to do to it, especially as a JPEG.

I think Tom posting these images from this camera will continue to have the same issues & comments time & time again, therefore I am not sure what you are looking for in response, as any suggestions that are made, you either discount or reply with a whole raft of illustrations or links for the reader defending your image. I do feel that the majority of people who post within this section have a very good grasp and understanding of Digital and it's workflow, however I do appreciate you adding a link.

Perhaps when you next post you can advise the reader what you are looking for in response, so he/she are better place to reply?

Steve

[Egil Droge]

For a P&S camera I think this is quite good. But also an image like this separates the P&S cameras from the (D)SLR cameras.
As you cannot control a whole lot in P&S camera regarding exposure, DOF etc I just look at the composition.
The composition is good. I might have wanted to see the tail of the little one. But the position of the little one, the direction it's looking at (just next to the camera) and the size difference between cub and mom I really like!

BTW, this female is still alive, and should've given birth again at the end of November/early December. By that time the area wasn't accessible anymore, but it's soon accessible again. I hope she's a better mother this time!

[Tom Graham]

Steve - "P", guess I was thinking of Nikon where "P" mode means "professional", yes? Actually, I should have used smilies before and again here :) . Sarcasm is hard to convey with just words, gotta remember that.

Perhaps next time when I post maybe I won't tell the camera name nor model. Just f, ss, ISO, lens mm. (Ohoh, more sarcasm? :) ) My older (2005) photos are with the Canon S2, newer ones Nikon D200.

Sarcasm off!!! In advising the reader what I'm looking for, I am looking for any and all C&C, including reposts. I want to know the strong and weak points of the image. I may argue, a little, if I feel different from the response and will give my reason why. Is that ok, or perhaps it is better to not disagree because it may discourage comments? Also, I think it is good to have someone else agree with a criticism. If I read "too yellow", does anyone else agree? I am skeptical of one opinion (unless agrees with me :) ) , two or three to confirm it helps a lot. Not ever C&C has to be on a new point. That is why some of my C&C on other people's images may be rather short saying simply "agree".

Egil - interesting to know that lioness is still around and having cubs. Regarding that cub, the camp guide said mom was a careless mother, the pride crossed a large ravine and left the cub crying on the far side. A perfect victim for another predator. Re seeing the cub tail look at 0166 I sent you, you can see its tail AND the cub is looking directly at the camera, plus the mother's eye it totally closed. I think a better photo than this one I put here.

Thanks All - Tom

[Alfred Forns]

Tom a couple of points not related to the image. We post images and critiques are made, you can agree or disagree ... nothing wrong with that. It is up to you to decide what to assimilate. We have lots of sharp people in this gallery and lots to learn from comments, taking advantage would be a good thing.

Regarding your image posted, you did as well as could be expected with the equipment. The ISO was probably low (lots of noise in the PS when raising) and I would not expect same results from a DSLR. The image is not critically sharp by any means and even if it was ... with any camera ... the mother would not be within the dof !! Not sure why you posted a link for the Luminous Landscape sharpening? Its probably Jeff Schewe? Brilliant person and knows more about sharpening than anyone else around.... but are you suggesting someone needs to read the article? Remember on line we don't have the benefit of observing the other persons body language/expression and its easy misinterpreting others comments.

You make good points on having several persons agreeing or disagreeing. I would also include the source, with time you will be able to sort advice. From the technical point of view is more cut and dry but the aesthetic side is more difficult and lots of times boils down to taste.... no right or wrong !!!

[Tom Graham]

Thanks Alfred. I'll live and learn :) And I enjoy being around BPN, many thanks for publishing/sponsoring it!!!
Tom