What lions do best...

[Morkel Erasmus]

Seeing as there are so many close-ups of predators being posted this week I thought I'd shuffle it up a bit.

During our recent trip to the Madikwe Game Reserve we came round to this large male lion early one morning. It was his brother (http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=64817) who had lain in the golden light on the plains at sunrise and roared his heart out, with him answering from the other side of the plains (thus we knew where to go look for him).

He was so aware of the fact that he is the king of the bush that he didn't even acknowledge us with a glance, even when he stood up for a drink later on. I think the title is apt, as this is how you will find lions between 9am and 4pm on almost any given day :)

After taking interesting photos of his paws and face as he was sleeping, I popped on my ultra-wide angle lens and polariser and tried something else...

I wanted to post this at 1024px for impact so had to save at a quality setting of 58 :o.

Techs:
Canon 7D with 10-22mm USM @ 10mm
f8.0 @ 1/100 SS @ ISO-100

[Harshad Barve]

Loving this wide scape Morkelbhai , super colors and lovely placement of lion , excellent image

. I think the title is apt, as this is how you will find lions between 9am and 4pm on almost any given day :)

Pretty bad news for me and my Africa plans , Need these guys in action :)

[Stu Bowie]

This wide angle works for me. Interesting thats he's completely out in the open, and not either in longer grass, or under a tree, even being early morning. Well thoughtout here Mork.

[Marc Mol]

What I like the most about this image Morkel, is the consistent blue in the sky here, not easy at times with a CP used in conjunction with an extreme wide angle lens, any PS used here?
Like the placement of the king here also.
TFS

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel - I like this and had recently posted a similar photo but taken around sunset. I posted it in the ETL forum a while back. I think anyone who has traveled to Africa has experienced flat cats. This is a fun way to experiment when there is no action. Love the deep blue sky.

TFS,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks a lot everyone...

@Harshadbhai: no worry - you will find plenty of action from lions between 7-9am and 4-6pm, and also at night with a spotlight, and sometimes they surprise everyone and hunt in the day if they are really hungry.

@Marc: the sky is as shot - I was lucky enough to have the sun perpendicular to this angle, meaning the polariser could do its thing decently.

[Danny J Brown]

A unique and compelling shot, Morkel...so different from what I'm used to seeing and the way I typically shoot. I love the contrast of the deep blue sky and the terrain. Great to see the big cat just lying there spread out like a dog. I'll have to start carrying my 17-40 in my shoulder bag. Thanks.

DB

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Morkel,
I agree with the idea. I feel less of contrast would be better. Also, I find turning the polariser a bit away from full impact is good for my taste, as the blues overpower a bit. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Hilary Hann]

Morkel, I love this for the rich sky, the contrast between the sleeping lion and the way you've positioned him in the frame which makes lines leading to the lion (excuse the pun!), increasing interest. Pretty hard to make a really interesting image of a single sleeping lion and the trick is, in my view, to go wide and include the environment. Which is what you've done to great effect. Really like this one.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel

Like the idea and the placement of the (Fat, Sleepy Lion, FSL) in the frame. I see where the comment is coming from re the depth of Saturation, however for me, I am 50/50 on that. Might comment would be that the foreground/sky is about 50/50 and splits the image for me. Personally I prefer the old rule, or even, 75/25 :)

TFS
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks guys...

@Sabyasachi - the sky is what gives this image an edge IMHO, as a blander sky would have far less impact

@Steve - I see what you're saying, but I let myself be guided by where to place the lion which is a stronger focal point than the horizon, and him I placed on the thirds intersection - thus my reasoning for the central horizon.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Mokel Love seeing the larger picture, this works well for me and you made one fine image !!!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Al :)

[Steve Canuel]

Nice shot Morkel. I like how the grass kind of points off to the darker brush in the BG.