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Thread: Massive Male Lion

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Massive Male Lion

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    I don't usually like images with roads in them, especially tarred roads but I thought this one really showed how massive this male is. We spent the first part of a morning game drive following him and his coalition partner through some dense bush while they seemed on a mission. It turns out that they were on a mission. Apparently they had heard another male roaring in their territory and were heading in his direction, still some distance away, to chase him off. After our rollercoaster ride through the bush without any real opportunities to photograph them, they emerged on the tar road. It seems they also knew that this was their quickest route to the trespasser. This is actually the main road between the Timbavati and Hoedspruit, the nearest large town. We didn't stick around for the confrontation which was still some distance away if it happened.

    Canon 7D
    300 II
    1/500
    f5.6
    ISO 1600
    Beanbag from safari vehicle, ff, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CCPS.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, he certainly is an impressive looking male. Great walking stance with two limbs raised giving a sense of purpose & motion. Love the angle and the eye contact. Colors are spot on. I don't mind the road at all! I have a couple of hyena pics on the road and will share them soon.

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    What a magnificent specimen. His fur is so clean and shiny and NO flies!
    I really like your processing on this image.
    The tar road allowed you to show off his very impressive paws.
    Even though he is walking into a shadowed area, this doesn't detract from the image ( as it often can).
    Very nice,
    Gail

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Sanjeev and Gail, much appreciated.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, great angle here, and love the walking pose with the raised paw. He certainly is a big fellow, and you have brought out the detail on the head very well - sharpness spot on. Im fine with the road.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Stu

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel , yes he is a big guy , looks almost like a fatty zoo lion .
    Apart from the road , which is a no go for me specially it is "only" a Lion , i like the detail and tones you brought out . The colors are not real grabbing me , cannot really say why , in parts the yellow/orange/red component in the subject and the BG does look too strong for my taste .
    The crop /comp does look a bit unfortunate for the subject , this fat thing squeezed into the frame from top and bottom , if this was mine i would loose from both sides and if you have to add something to the top and bottom , going for a 7x5 crop . All saying this from my POV .

    TFS Andreas

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, I am sure this chap was at the hairdresser first too. He looks like freshly groomed and pampered up just for your photo shoot :)
    Try a square crop, maybe would do better. I don t mind much the tar road, that s just were he walked on. We do that every day

    ciao me

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, these guys were big and definitely at times made us work for the images, love the idea he had just come out of the hairdressers. In traversing the property they had to cross a main road, unfortunate, but that's life. A manmade item is not ideal, however it was there and nothing you can do, but as others have said, it does help to show off those feet nicely. Colours look good, likewise the sharpening, but am using the laptop so... Camera techs look spot on, I do think a tad more space top & bottom would help, it's a wee bit tight, therefore if you have it, it then could mean some image content could come of the RHS.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andreas, Anette and Steve. I agree more room above and below would be preferable but, sadly, as I said in the intro, this is ff. I guess lions don't have bed head in the mornings .

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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