Lion at sunrise

[Chris van Rooyen]

I captured this image at first light a couple of weeks ago in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The sunlight lighting up the dune grass in the background seemed like gold on fire I removed a few distracting elements from the background.

Camera Model: NIKON D3S
Date/Time: 2011:02:24 06:36:13
Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
Aperture: 7.1
Exposure mode: Manual
Exposure compensation: -1/3
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 2200
Lens: 600mm

[Morkel Erasmus]

this is immaculate to me Chris! very moody and the open surroundings of the Kgalagadi makes the lion pop off the page. Auob or Nossob riverbed? near which camp?

from which direction was the sun coming?

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks Morkel. This was at Samevloeiing waterhole, 10km from Twee Rivieren, in the Nossob, the sun was directly behind the lion, just rising above the dune.

[Marc Mol]

A very evocative image Chris, the clean and open surroundings, the rim lit lion with just the right amount of detail and overall colour are all first rate.
TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the info Chris - thought it might be :) few places in KTP are THIS clean...know exactly which stretch this was on...got a lone male cheetah walking towards us over this piece at first light in June 2010.

[Steven Kersting]

Very mice image, I'd be proud.
I think I'd like a little more fill (not much) on the lion itself though.

[Rachel Hollander]

Chris -well seen and well captured. A great mood image.

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

Chris, close to my perfect image. The placement of the lion is perfect, the striations of light through the image add depth and the dark band at the top of the sky keeps the eye in the frame. I love the reflections on the ground which almost lead around to the lion and the rim light is wonderful. The lion itself looks attentive with the hind legs tucked up making it easy to get up and move at a moments notice, and the slight head turn is what we would all want. I think you have the right amount of detail in the lion, but that may be personal. Glad the black horizontal line doesn't come any closer to the lion's head, then there would be something to criticise! But then you probably wouldn't have posted it.

[Jay Gould]

Mate, you never ever disappoint the viewer!!

[Vivaldo Damilano]

The golden colours and kalahari mood takes this image over the top for me. I love the rim light on the lion. Killer shot Chris TFS

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks guys!

[Harshad Barve]

One mighty fine image Chris
TFS

Mate, you never ever disappoint the viewer!!

Plus one here

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Superb image. Love the colours and the mood.

[Sudhanshu Nafde]

Awesome this is just a serene image.... i mean any one would like this kinda image on his wall... what an amazing work here... thanks a lot... your work inspires me and also helps immatures like me to learn more...