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Thread: King in the Rain

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default King in the Rain

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    This shot has an awesome back-story.

    During the Great Migration photo safari I hosted in September 2014, we headed our for our afternoon game drive one day as storms were building in the Mara Triangle. We weren't more than 2km from our camp when a call came in on the radio that a gorgeous male lion had walked onto the banks of the Mara river directly across from our tents and laid down overlooking our camp. We didn't need much motivation to turn around and head back in the hope of creating some great images.

    We got to our camp - saw the lion flopped down on a high embankment on the river across the water from our dining tent.
    We each got a chair, and a drink, and sat and waited for him to move and sit up.
    While we were waiting we saw a couple of wildebeest run up to the river, consider crossing, and decide against it. We also saw elephants feeding in the distance and a huge buffalo bull come very close to squaring off with the lion who was lying on a very thin wedge of riverbank.

    Eventually, we were able to capture some photos as he lifted his head and looked at us.
    But he flopped down again.
    And then the rain came! Many of the guests ducked back to the dining tent to protect their camera gear, but a couple of us pushed through and opted to rather shoot in the wet weather, as the lion was bound to get up and seek drier pastures.

    He did - and we fired off a couple of frames as the sun came through the falling rain, before he ducked right into that shrub behind him.
    As darkness fell, he kept roaring us to sleep.
    Man, I can't wait to head back there in August!

    Techs:
    Nikon D4s
    Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
    f4.0 | 1/400 SS | ISO-4000
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Don't you just relish a sighting where you can sit, relax and enjoy at your leisure! Love it!!

    The shaft of light across this male really makes this image for me Morkel, nicely seen, the BG rain and across his body completes the picture.

    Looking at your techs, I'm gathering light was at a premium here? HH or on tripod?


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    Hi Morkel -- Lovely scene , the light hitting the Lion's face along with the Rain makes the scene quite appealing to the viewers. I am not sure about the shrub immediately behind the Lion, a cleaner BG would have been ideal but it was there and still made out a lovely image of it . Have you tried a BW version of the same , I am sure you must have , would love to see how image looks in the monochrome version .

    TFS !

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marc Mol View Post
    Don't you just relish a sighting where you can sit, relax and enjoy at your leisure! Love it!!

    The shaft of light across this male really makes this image for me Morkel, nicely seen, the BG rain and across his body completes the picture.

    Looking at your techs, I'm gathering light was at a premium here? HH or on tripod?
    I never use a tripod for long lens on safari. So - hand held
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morkel Erasmus View Post
    I never use a tripod for long lens on safari. So - hand held
    Gotcha,

    just thought as you were outside a vehicle you may have "sourced" one.

    I always bring my CF Gitzo with me, primarily for landscapes in camp and out of vehicle but always ask myself, will I really need it on this trip??


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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marc Mol View Post
    Gotcha,

    just thought as you were outside a vehicle you may have "sourced" one.

    I always bring my CF Gitzo with me, primarily for landscapes in camp and out of vehicle but always ask myself, will I really need it on this trip??

    I usually have my carbon fibre REDGED tripod on hand, but mostly use it for wide angle stuff and rarely if ever take my gimbal anywhere.
    On these trips our focus is on the guests, so my camera was lying in the grass with me running between guests (some of whom were on tripod/gimbal setups) to check settings and composition.
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Talk about Mara Magic!

    Love the mood and atmosphere Morkel, lovely golden light on the lion's face, add a few drops of rain... Between your guests and the lion, I think you managed to nail this one

    Enjoyed reading the story behind the capture and I like the scene tremendously, please share some more if you have!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    This image has a great "mood"; the falling rain, the dirt cliff, and the lion looking intent on something with the beautiful light on his face! You have to love those "arm chair" images that turn out so well!

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel - So what really matters here is ..... what were you drinking? I too like the light hitting the face juxtaposed against the raindrops. I think it would work as an even narrower pano with a bit off the bottom.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel

    You have the last golden light, rain and the King here, in one image!
    Agree with Rachel re pano crop, the viewer feels "higher"
    Man, you have brass ones to fire a 500 HH at 1/400...
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks folks.
    Will explore that crop!

    Quote Originally Posted by Andre Pretorius View Post
    Man, you have brass ones to fire a 500 HH at 1/400...
    Cheers Andre - but isn't that what we need to trust the VR to do - enable these kinds of situations?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Here's a crop from the bottom...
    I initially left as much at the bottom to emphasise the embankment?
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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morkel Erasmus View Post
    but isn't that what we need to trust the VR to do - enable these kinds of situations?
    Exactly


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    Hi Morkel,thanks for the other kindness , I hope you got my reply.

    To your image stunning,your timing for that light on his face and willingness to stay out in the rain for that moment very inspiring,well done,our preference is actually your first post crop wise. Morkel wow on the shutter speed.the combination of steely gaze sunlight in just the right places andrain lit up in places makes this one very special for me comp spot on.

    The backstory was wonderful to read too as an aside,what can I say Morkel an utter corker once again for me,do you have off days kiddo?

    take care thanks again

    Stu

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