"Can we go and play mum........can we......can we??"

[Marc Mol]

Two of the sweetest lion cubs I witnessed together with their very attentive mother and occasionally in amongst the Nsefu pride of seventeen.
Their gentle mewing to attract Mum’s attention when she wandered too far ahead were a joy to witness.


D3s 500VR f/5.6 !/600s ISO400. 20% crop. Nsefu sector Sth Luangwa NP- Zambia Nov 2011

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Gerald Kelberg]

Hi Marc,

I like the subject and the title, but I think the image looks like you may have accidentally sharpened the background when you intended to sharpen the lions. Maybe this isn't the image you intended to post?

Regards,

Gerald

[Marc Mol]

Hi Marc,

but I think the image looks like you may have accidentally sharpened the background when you intended to sharpen the lions.

Not at all Gerald, granted certainly more DOF would have helped with the cub.

[Hilary Hann]

Lovely behavioural image Marc, I hope you have more. I agree with Gerald that the sharpness isn't what I normally see from you (sometimes I've complained that you've over sharpened! ), but a what a wonderful sighting to have.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Marc, the key point has already been made, however I would also look at 'selectively' dropping the yellow and perhaps also looking at the green too as the colours seem to jar a little. I also feel you can afford to lose about half the space in the FG too.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marc - Sounds like a fun sighting. Major point on sharpness has already been covered. I would also consider taking the slightest fraction from the top to remove the dark area in the urc. When you say 20% crop do you mean this is 80% of ff or 20% of ff? I hope you'll post more from this sighting.

TFS,
Rachel

[Russell Johnson]

Marc

Would agree with the comments made on the sharpness and the need for more DOF.

I do like the interaction and also the drop of blood on the females chest....could tell the story of leading the cubs to the kill.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Sweet moment here Marc...I too agree on the colour and DOF issues noted...
What jars me is the apparent lack of your usual IQ at ISO-400? Where they at a distance? Were you shooting through some heat haze?

[Marc Mol]

Appreciate the comments and points raised guys.

Hi Marc - When you say 20% crop do you mean this is 80% of ff or 20% off?

TFS,
Rachel

20% of the total crop Rachel.

Marc

I do like the interaction and also the drop of blood on the females chest....could tell the story of leading the cubs to the kill.

Thanks Russell
She was actually leading the pair away from their prides recent hippo kill.

Sweet moment here Marc...I too agree on the colour and DOF issues noted...
What jars me is the apparent lack of your usual IQ at ISO-400? Where they at a distance? Were you shooting through some heat haze?

The distance here Morkel was certainly within the 500's capabilities, I agree the quality is down here, just wondering if the CP filter may have presented an issue here? (had been using it on splashing hippos)