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Thread: Joined for a Drink

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    This year has been a whirlwind thus far and my photo processing has taken a serious back seat between a new role at work, continuous family commitments and other random things.


    I found time tonight to take a quick peek at some of my photos from our safari to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in December last year. This photo was taken at first light from the walkways between the cabins at the Urikaruus Wilderness Camp. This specific pride of lions had spoiled us by lounging around the camp waterhole all day that day!


    It started when I randomly awoke at around 2am, and as usual when staying in these camps I stepped out on to the balcony to see if something was visiting the waterhole. "Something" was - a pride of about 9 lions were all drinking from the waterhole! It was deathly quiet, and all you could hear was their tongues lapping up the water. I woke my wife and we enjoyed this moment for a few minutes. I figured they would hang around a bit, so we lied down again. At around 3am the roaring started...3-4 of them would roar in turns, and it didn't stop until sunrise around 05h30! So much for shut-eye haha...


    As the first rays of sunlight kissed the desert sand, the big male and one of the females rose (they had been plonked down behind the waterhole) and proceeded to drink again. I used the elevated position of the walkway between the chalets to get their reflection in the frame as well...


    After they drank their fill, they got lazy again, and we headed north in our vehicle and found lots more lions - but that is a story for another day...


    The pride lounged around all day, roared again at sunset, and moved off into the dunes as darkness fell. A special treat dished up by a special place!


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    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel - Sounds like a great sighting and hopefully they didn't wake your kids. The pano crop works well and the reflection in the still water looks great. Only thing I would do is tame the highlights on the lioness just a slight tad more.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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  4. #3
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander View Post
    Hi Morkel - Sounds like a great sighting and hopefully they didn't wake your kids. The pano crop works well and the reflection in the still water looks great. Only thing I would do is tame the highlights on the lioness just a slight tad more.

    TFS,
    Rachel
    Tnx Rachel
    They would have had to roar REALLY loudly to wake our kids, as the latter were sleeping soundly in Grandma's house 1200km away
    #justmeandthemissus!
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Good for you Morkel!

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    Love the shooting angle and the combination of light and shadow on lions. Excellent image.

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Love the POV, lighting and resulting reflection here Morkel, all coming together nicely, I agree with Rachel on taming the HL's down a little.
    Just a wonderful moment to experience and would be out there at any hour, the same as you, if there!

    TFS


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    Super shot Morkel, I like how the lions are diagonal each other and their reflection is captivating. Lovely light as well.

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    An image I am sure we would all love to own, the positions and the reflections make for a terrific image with lots of impact.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel, nice to see a new image, can't really comment on the overall image, but perhaps darkening the water section, with the additional comments may add more depth to the image?

    TFS
    Steve

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    I like the composition and the reflection is crisp and mirror-like. Just a touch more sharpening on the lions for me.

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    I loved this one !! Reflections are so clear, lovely play of lights and shadows.

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  21. #12
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Morkel,

    Been looking a few times at this image, envious of you at Urikaruus (we are trying to get bookings for next year now) and also remembering one special night at Gharagab that will stay on my mind always: the man in charge of the camp told me the lioness usually comes to drink at about 4 am, so I set my alarm for 3:45 m just in case...I did not hear the alarm or maybe I had put it off (one can tire oneself so much in the KTP with all the driving and searching, cooking and chores and also downloading at night), but a slight shuffle in the sand made me open my eyes at 4:15 am and I stumbled outside, half asleep and bare footed onto the wooden deck, only to see the lioness and her three tiny cubs walk past - what timing, they were only few metres away and I closed my eyes as the lioness stopped in her tracks and for a moment looked back at me - I felt no threat at all, only a kind of guilt for knowing her secret, wished I could tell her it was alright, I was only there to see them for a fleeting moment as they walk into the landscape, lit up by the silver Moonlight...

    Those private camps are very sought after and for good reason: proximity to the water hole and kind of secluded, not that many luxuries one would expect but the views are amazing - this is one special sighting Morkel, love the reflection in the water and the tranquility of scene, nice POV, light and shadows handled well, great composition.

    Just a thought: when are we meeting in the KTP again?

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Great light, great subjects, perfect reflection. What more could you ask for!

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  25. #14
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks folks!
    Morkel Erasmus

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