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Thread: The Lion Sleeps Tonight

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default The Lion Sleeps Tonight

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    Another image I've revisited from my 2009 trip to the Sabi Sands in South Africa. Tried something different as the sun set and the pride of lions seemed down for the count after indulging in a large meal of Cape Buffalo. I apologize in advance to all of you who now can't get the song and its lyrics out of your head.

    Canon 50D
    16-35 II @ 26mm
    1/500
    f5.6
    ISO 400
    HH from safari vehicle, levels, curves and sharpened in CS5.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, certainly portrays what lions do best, sleep.

    Might suggest lightening the FG in Curves just to bring out a bit of tone & detail which then picks out the subject more too.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel,like the soft colors in here.The composition with the lion in RH corner works very well.
    I agree with Steve about the FG plus the lion is too dark ,no details in the dark parts of the mane.
    Beside that i like it very much.
    Cheers Andreas

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    Making an interesting image of a sleeping lion is a difficult task, but here you have pulled it off. I think you could selectively get more detail in the dark part of the mane, but I wouldn't lighten it much as it conveys well that first light of day "sleeping it off" effect. Love the muted colors and the comp here.

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    Hi Rachel,
    I like your lion image. Including the lion in the sunset has created a point of interest, but I do think the foreground is to dark as mentioned previously. I took the liberty to do a repost, I hope you don't mind. I applied a dark darks luminosity mask and using a curves adjustment layer lightened the foreground. If you don't use luminosity masks, you can get them from Tony Kuyper's website or you can make them yourself and add your own action for the lights, darks and mid tones. They will help your processing no end. In the repost i did the lightening maybe a little too much to emphasise the point, but with the luminosity masks you can be very selective about what parts of an image you can affect.
    Well done, a lovely image and best wishes,
    Mark.
    PS: I am sure there is a second lion to the left of the one you have in the foreground.


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    Excellent composition Rachel.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    I like this Rachel - I have something similar but I like yours more since you included that setting sun which is a mood-changer.
    I like what Mark did but think it's ideally between his post and your OP? WDYT?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks folks. I had actually processed 2 versions, one slightly lighter than this one but went with the darker one to post. I'll post the lighter version when I'm home tonight (don't have that hard drive with me). Mark - thanks for the rp but I do feel it is too light. There's another lion to the right but I think this male was at the edge of the pride. The entire pride was laying down.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

  9. #9
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Repost

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    Here's the other version I had done. Thanks again,

    Rachel

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Interesting photo for me. I like the light and landscape aspect of the image but despite your description it looks to me as if the lion has had his last meal. Interesting too because if I darken and warm up the sky to give the appearance of sunset (tying in with the "death" of the lion), it gives the photo a completely different feel for me than what you intended.

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    Hi Rachel, your repost is for me, a much better image, well done..
    Best wishes,
    Mark.

  12. #12
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Steve and Mark

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