Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: Lion in Flight

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default Lion in Flight

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I am back from an amazing trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. I wanted to 'ease into things' but was just too excited about this sighting to share anything else here on BPN...
    One of my most memorable moments on safari came last Thursday morning at sunrise when we were witness to lions hunting, killing and devouring a young eland right next to our vehicle...on an open plain...with almost no vegetation to clutter the view.

    I will share a whole series of these as I get stuck into processing...but here's one that just made me grin from ear-to-ear when I saw it on the back of the camera LCD that morning.
    This is full frame left to right and only cropped slightly top and bottom.

    Would love your thoughts. She's actually running through the dust left by the prey.
    I'll get stuck into critiquing some of the images posted in my absence tomorrow!

    Techs:
    Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
    f5.6 @ 1/800 SS @ ISO-2500


    Last edited by Peter Kes; 12-02-2012 at 08:52 PM.
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  2. #2
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Morkel - sounds like a great sighting and looking forward to the whole series. What an excellent image to start off with. Nice and sharp with a good HA and fantastic action with all 4 paws in the air. Looks like she's got a decent vertical leap too.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  3. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Lake Oswego, OR
    Posts
    641
    Threads
    59
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Love the dust and that her face is totally clear with a great view of the intense optimistic stare.

  5. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  6. #4
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Northern Rockies
    Posts
    1,273
    Threads
    106
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    An exciting image of an experience that you will remember for a very long time. I like the dust coming off the rear feet, the pose & the comp. Wonderful image. TFS.
    Andrew

  7. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  8. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hyderabad, India
    Posts
    5,088
    Threads
    1,356
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Fantastic image and great sighting Morkel! I Just love the mid-air pose and the dust & super action here!

  9. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  10. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Nacka, Stockholm, Sweden
    Posts
    433
    Threads
    43
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    What a beauty. Like a ballerina. Love the desaturated colors and sharpness in her face.

    A joy to view this photo.

    TFS, Gregor

  11. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  12. #7
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Brussels, Belgium
    Posts
    1,106
    Threads
    116
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Fabulous action, Morkel! Love that athletic stretch and determined look on the face. Makes me grin, just looking at it!

    Very well done!

    Gerald

  13. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  14. #8
    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Southern California, Orange County
    Posts
    1,116
    Threads
    33
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Love it for all of above reasons. Especially her eye concentration.
    Though might like a bit more space all around. Know that you did crop some top/bottom. Great luck (or skill ) to get her that position full frame.
    Ton
    Last edited by Tom Graham; 12-03-2012 at 05:55 PM.

  15. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  16. #9
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    heck of a shoe morkel! well done
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  17. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  18. #10
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hey Morkel,
    hope you enjoyed the time in this magical place.
    Nice one to start with.
    Like the speedy action you captured , perfecto framed, here.

    Would like to see a bit more depth in the lion and specially in the dust to make it more obvious , but leave the rest untouched.
    Small amount of USM on the head , i would prefer ,too.

    Would like to have witnessed the action myself.

    Well done

    TFS Andreas

  19. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  20. #11
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks very much for the kind comments, folks...

    Andreas, depth and 'pop' looks good to me - you're welcome to do a repost to show what you mean
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  21. #12
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hi Morkel,
    here you go.
    WDYT ?

  22. #13
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    thanks for the time taken to do this RP, Andreas...
    for me it looks a little gritty and choked up, it was a slightly overcast sunrise and with all the dust the contrast was naturally low in the scene, I tried to add enough depth without losing the feel of the conditions that morning.
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  23. #14
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    OK Morkel was just a thought.
    Just my vision of this scene, but you have been there , not me.

  24. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  25. #15
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I always appreciate your views and vision, Andreas
    I think I might play with this and see how it looks midway between mine and yours, for kicks...
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  26. #16
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I think we see things sometimes a bit different in terms of sharpness , contrast and gritty look.

    Really like your processing, but sometimes i miss some punch, but you know it is more difficult to achieve the look with such small low res file.

    And many times it is just a smaller step , that would be better.As you just stated maybe between the OP and RP.

    That`s why i like that much RP`s made by Mr.Detail, he is most of the times spot on with his improvements, a lot better than mine .

    But in the end it all just personal, and that is by far the most important thing.

    Cheers Andreas

  27. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  28. #17
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,551
    Threads
    1,285
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hi Morkel, good to see some exchanges and thoughts on this one.

    Well timed, love the splayed legs and mid flight posture, with the intense focus. Being 'picky' (thought we had lost that word ) perhaps a tad more separation in the front paws? I think overall it's a shot we would all love to have, but to execute it, well that's another story especially with a fixed lens, nice one. When I first viewed it, I too though it needed some more 'in it' it's a little light in all respects, however I can only surmise. Personally I think there is some more mid tone to pull out to give more 'forum' and have probably gone too far on this, it needs a more gentle hand, but you can get the picture, likewise in the nice plumes of dust thrown up in the acceleration too.

    I did pick up the rock by the front paws on this RP, found it a wee distracting being so close, however if you like it there, you can put it back. Left the sharpening as is, but perhaps some selective, WDYT?

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

  29. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  30. #18
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Yes, good to see everyone's thoughts, Steve. And thanks for yours too! And the repost
    As I said to Andreas, it was soft, bright-ish overcast light, brightened even more by the white dust kicked up. I am pretty happy with the depth of the OP, but will play around some and see where it goes. Yours does show a little 'heavy-handedness' but I know what you're going for.
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  31. #19
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Northern Rockies
    Posts
    1,273
    Threads
    106
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hey Morkel, I do prefer the OP. The RPs create too much contrast that accentuates the dust in front of the lion making it almost white which I find distracting because it draws my eye away from the lion. But, as has been said, it is all personal. Again, this is a wonderful image that was excellently captured during an exciting encounter. Truly well done.
    Andrew

  32. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post
  33. #20
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Apethorpe, UK.
    Posts
    497
    Threads
    43
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Morkel,
    What an image!!!, this is one of the best lioness images I have seen. It really shows off the true power and agility of the lioness and with the puffs of dust, well that has just taken it over the top. Well done!!
    I have taken the liberty to improve the basic mid tones, improving contrast by using the soft light LBM. To finish the change I burnt the background dune to even focus the eye further on the lioness. What an image, thanks for sharing and I would think that this is your best image I have seen of yours.
    Best wishes,
    Mark.

    Name:  lioness_hunt_1_KTP_2012.jpg
Views: 38
Size:  196.3 KB

  34. Thanks Morkel Erasmus thanked for this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics