Tonight I have a lioness for you, image captured at Zuka Private Game Reserve in December last year. It was early afternoon and slightly overcast although the sun was peeping through the clouds every now and then. My companion and I were on our way to the nearby dam for a sundowner when we came upon two lionesses, they were very relaxed and allowed us to get quite close. My subject here was busy grooming while the other old girl was sleeping. Judging by the stains of blood on their paws and size of their bellies the two must have made a kill that morning...they probably spent the entire day gorging themselves.
For your information, an adult lioness needs about 5 kg of meat per day, males a bit more. At a kill they are able to eat up to 25% of their body mass. So if a lion weighs 200 kg he is able to eat almost 50 kg of meat. Imagine a grown person, an adult, weighing say 80 kg, eating 20 kg of meat in just few hours
Image was taken from game viewer. I was seated right at the back and quite high so I lied down on the bench for a better POV and used a folded blanket for support.
Processed in LR and PSCC. Slight crop from the bottom and top, a little more from the left. Techs as follows:
Nikon D5
Nikon 500mmF4
ISO 1000
F7.1
1/3200s
Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week! Many thanks to you all for viewing and your kind comments on my previous images - much appreciated
Hi Gabriela, I like the low POV and the inclusion of tail and placement in the frame. Good details and techs though the SS could be lower with f/8 or so but the DOF seems adequate. Great and natural colours and the grooming behaviour is nice. TFS. Nice one. Thanks for the info on lions feeding habits.
Last edited by Sanjeev Aurangabadkar; 04-24-2019 at 02:00 PM.
Hi Gabriela, the image has a lot of impact for me, not only with the direct stare to camera, but that very relaxed pose, front legs crossed, gently grooming, yet if you made a mistake she would be on top of you in an instant.
Nicely framed and great the tail is retained, not lost in the heat of the moment. I might try a sliver off the top and using all the image below as an alternative option? Overall there is a slight 'sootiness' to the subject masking the lovely details gabriela and I think you can afford more sharpening too. You were there, but the grass has I think a slight Blue hue, juggling the Green in HSL helps I think? Techs already covered, but I just wonder, popping a small extender on, may have offered a slightly better POV (lower) as you would have been further away, just a thought.
Sorry for late reply, saw your RP earlier but we had a huge thunderstorm here and hail and then some serious rain, had to switch off everything. Thank you so much for thoughtful comments and for taking the time to RP, I am as grateful as always for your help.
I guess the "sootiness" might derive from a curve adjustment that was taken too far? Will check on that asap. Will also have a look at the hue you mentioned - I do not see it but I trust your eyes Then take a bit off the top, see what it looks like.
Regarding extenders...I guess you'll tell me it's silly, I have two and they are always on the seat next to me but I hardly use them - so afraid of dust particles getting into my gear
So let me get to work and do an RP now...Many thanks once again, have a wonderful evening
I guess the "sootiness" might derive from a curve adjustment that was taken too far?
Remember you don't have to use the adjustment at 100%, you can temper it and or change the Blend mode, etc etc... no adjustment is finite, you can always tame it.
Regarding extenders...I guess you'll tell me it's silly, I have two and they are always on the seat next to me but I hardly use them - so afraid of dust particles getting into my gear
Dust bunnies, you could plant a potato field on the two 1DX Mk2's, but they will get a wash & brush up in June for the August trip, but it's not the sensor that's cleaned, that's well hidden. I use extenders only for the reach and avoiding huge crops and so IQ is retained, I hate to see landscape images cropped to portrait, basic rocky mistake and all that data thrown away. DB's are a fact of life, no getting around that, so if you need it, use it if it makes life easier and you retain more IQ, it only magnify's nothing more.
Thank you Steve I often use the adjustment tool at lower percentage (change fill/opacity, depending on the situation) and when it comes to curves I prefer to use "luminosity". And only apply the adjustment selectively, of course. Hope you don't mind, I sent you a copy of the RAW so you can see what it looks like. Meanwhile, I am working on it
Hmmm...Ok, I will try use the extenders...But you must know I hate dust bunnies...My gear is pristine I keep everything in a special room with a dehumidifier, so no chance of fungus either
Afternoon Siesta
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I keep everything in a special room with a dehumidifier, so no chance of fungus either
