Morning drink.

[Marc Mol]

06.30am
This pride came down to Lake Ndutu to wash down a Gnu they had killed before dawn. Would have loved a few more looking my way of course, but could be there for many hours and still not achieve that.
Light was at a premium.
Ndutu- Tanzania

D4 500f/4 VRII 1/250s ISO3200 f/4 small crop for comp. Played around with the WB a bit, but wanted to maintain the soft early light. ACR & PS CC

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marc - nice light and reflection, though I do wish the reflection was a little sharper. I like the colors and overall scene. The cub in the clear on the right makes the image for me because the others are blocking each other a bit too much. If it were mine I would consider a crop from the top and perhaps even going to a 16x9 ratio.

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Rachel

Hi Marc - nice light and reflection, though I do wish the reflection was a little sharper. I like the colors and overall scene. The cub in the clear on the right makes the image for me because the others are blocking each other a bit too much. If it were mine I would consider a crop from the top and perhaps even going to a 16x9 ratio.

TFS,
Rachel

Couldn't do much about the reflection I'm afraid, the ever so slight ripple & lightings cond's just weren't there, I had considered the tighter crop ratio, but it looked too tight on top for mine. If you scroll from above you'll see what I mean.

[Rachel Hollander]

Marc - I tried the 16x9 in PS before suggesting it, although maybe not ideal, I think it does work as alternative knowing that you like to maintain normal ratios. Personally, I would just crop some from the top of the op but that would not maintain your ratio.

Rachel

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Not the perfect pose but an absolute keeper, Marc. It's a nice reflection of an early morning walk by two queens of the jungle and their little ones. Amazing that the smallest one in the front instinctively knows about danger lurking under the water's surface and he's brave (ignorant?) enough to challenge it on behalf of the pack! I like the ripples in the water and I think the reflection has just enough in it to add interest. Well done!

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Marc!

Now...this is something for my taste...I love lions, really like what you have captured here and especially the pose from the little one, it almost looks as if he saw his reflection in the water and growling at it I am very, very jealous of this sighting...Great behaviour shot, please post more if you have

Kind regards,

[Colin Driscoll]

I like this, it is a complex picture with a lot to take in. Beautiful setting and light.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Great moment and mood here! I know you'd also have liked more of them to make eye contact, as that's my first thought, second thought is that I still wish it was mine.
How about toning down overall bright tones through a luminosity adjustment, Marc?

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Morkel

How about toning down overall bright tones through a luminosity adjustment, Marc?

We think alike..................I have used a small amount of a lumo mask adj, and perhaps it could do with just a tad more?

[Morkel Erasmus]

yup, about 10-15% opacity?

[edwardselfe]

Nice composition and good work with rubbish light. I too think the pale areas are getting too close to white....luminosity mask or just using the sliders in LR.
What a great sighting all the same.
Ed