Emerging Queen

[Morkel Erasmus]

I can't recall that I've posted this image here yet. I think I was probably waiting for Harshad to return from his looong trip so he could see it :w3.
It was recently selected as an Editor's Pick over at 500px. Yay! :e3

It was a frustrating morning near the Nossob rest camp. For 4 days I had been out of the gates first, headed north in search of the lion pride I knew was there. I tracked their fresh spoor every day in the sandy roads, sometimes so fresh that the sand around the edges were still forming crunched-up walls around the spoor. Yet every morning I would just miss them and they would be in the long grass, impossible to spot.


On this, our last morning in this area of the park, we headed out again after missing them the previous afternoon when we headed South for a change for our drive. Again I found their spoor. Again they were not in the road anymore. We pushed on a bit, and turned around, and then found them lying asleep next to the road. All of them seemed to have had a long night...and the only one giving us any reaction was this lioness.


Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 200-400mm f4 VR-II @ 290mm
f4.0 @ 1/500 SS @ ISO-220
Slight crop from left and top
I opened up to f4 to get the FG foliage OOF - I think it worked well, don't you? :bg3:

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - really like the softness to the surrounding foliage and her intent gaze. Profile and comp work really well. Congrats on editor's choice, your perseverence paid off.

TFS,
Rachel

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi there Morkel
Great shot..I thought is was a great image when I saw it on 500px, and I commented in another place as well. Right now, with the way the internet and BPN is working for me, I can't see the pic at all, only the text, but I know it is a brilliant pic
Well done
cheers
Grant

[Andreas Liedmann]

Congrats Morkel,
love this shot.All the softness around that pin sharp head.Just excellent.Unusual for the most lion shots from that park.If it was mine ,i would leave it without that crop.More room to the left would work better for me:

Excellent IQ as usual.Love that profile look.

Cheers Andreas

[Harshad Barve]

Awesome image Morkelbhai , loved the OOF greens and looks of queen , VWD
TFS

I can't recall that I've posted this image here yet. I think I was probably waiting for Harshad to return from his looong trip so he could see it :w3.

I have definitely not seen this before

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Morkel well done on catching such a lovely profile and head angle. Blured grass on the right adds IMO and also love the BG.

[Davidwilliams]

all of the above, she looks very serene, excellent image

[Steve Kaluski]

Cool image Morkel, not much more to say, liked it when I first saw it. :w3 :cheers:

[Dumay de Boulle]

I like this a lot bud, my taste to a tee. The colors and sharpness look perfect...Congrats!

[Gregor Bergquist]

Very beautiful, super portrait. I like this a lot.

[Kiran Khanzode]

Love the butter all around.....very eye pleasing image, Bhai !

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks a lot for the kind feedback, folks...knew you'd enjoy this one :t3

[Peter Seidel]

Very intriguing portrait. I agree with previous comments - the OOF areas really work well for this one. The sharpness in the face is also excellent, especially considering you were shooting that lens as wide open as you could. Very impressive - this shot could be used as an advertisement for that lens, no doubt.


Pete

[Mark Wiseman]

Hi Morkel,
A magic image, I miss the lions in the KTP, they are the best lions in Africa by a long shot.
Congrats and well done,
Mark.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Mork, I too like these type of images with surrounding foliage blending into the subject. Great detail and sharpness on the lioness, and a perfect comp too.