Youth - From Cub to Lion

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dearest Friends,

I seem to spend a lot of time lately browsing through old folders and searching for something to share. Due to work commitments I only managed a couple of days leave this year, and although opportunities are plenty I just cannot find time to take advantage of them. So here's an image taken in October 2012 in the Kalahari, I liked the expression on this youngster's face and thought the IQ was not too bad. Captured with my old D3S which I gave away long ago. Techs not great, I would obviously want more SS and a tad more DoF but in those days I didn't know better.

Nikon D3S
Nikon 500 F4
ISO 1600
F6.3
1/800s

Hope you all have a great rest of the week, and thank you so much for taking the time to view - much appreciated.

Kind regards,

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Gabriela, a wonderful image with great depth & tonality. I like those amber eyes (the gaze into the distance really sets a mood here) & the clean BG also works nicely. Though techs not 'ideal' it all works well here. TFS.

[Glenn Pure]

Lovely animal beautifully captured by you, Gabriela. IQ looks great to me. I'm not sure you would have achieved a lot more in focus with a smaller aperture although it might have brought up a little more detail on the OOF body. I think the shot works quite well as is though. Tones are very rich but perhaps just a whisker (pun intended) of lightening on the lower half of the head would improve it IMHO - it looks like there was some differential lighting on the head. Background is excellent. Thank you for sharing.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Gabriela - Well worth revisiting an older file. Beautiful detail and there's something soulful about the eyes. You handled the mixed light well. There's a lot of red on the upper head and mane, is it dried blood?

TFS,
Rachel

[John Mack]

I don't know why but i really like the look on the lion's face. It looks deep in thought.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Gabriela always funny and interesting to browse through older files ..... sometimes surprises coming up , or memories .
Lovely light hitting the lion , stunning color and a very nice tonal range with some very nice detail !!!!!!
I do like the BG a lot ,as nothing is taking away the viewer from the main subject .Eyes are looking so real !!!!
Oh i am becoming lust for ....going down again when looking at this .Really hope we can manage something with the neighbor ....... in Jo`burg , would be great fun i bet .

TFS Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you so much dear friends, for kind and thoughtful comments.

I am somehow surprised to find in my old files a number of images that aren't too bad. Some were taken with very old gear, and in those days ( before BPN ) I chose my settings randomly and hoped for the best. In most cases it is probably sheer luck or just good light, nevertheless nice to go down "memory lane" and find a little gem here and there:)

Glenn, I would have really liked the R ear to be sharper, as well as that teenage mane. Regarding lightening the lower half of the face, I thought about it when re-processing the image and tried it, then changed my mind as I felt there was more emphasis on the eyes when lit up to a greater extent than the rest of the head.

Rachel, those red bits are indeed dried blood. The pride killed an eland that morning and been feeding on it for hours. This youngster's belly was full but he was so annoyed with a number of blackjacked jackals trying to steal leftovers:)

[Gabriela Plesea]

Can you believe it Andreas, this was taken with my old D3S:)

Been in touch with my new "neighbour" in Joburg and hopefully the future will bring some cool meetings and photographic opportunities - it's just that I am so engrossed in work these days that even a week-end away is a luxury, hope things change for better -I am working on it

Have a lovely evening Boetie, thank you so much for viewing and comments, appreciate it

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, again I agree with Andreas. The matted fur and blood staines tells a story, lovely light.

TFS
Steve

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Steve, much appreciated

Warmest regards,