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Thirsty Lioness
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Thirsty Lioness

by Stephen Kaluski

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 23, 2017186 views4 comments
This is one of the females I spent five glorious days with in Botswana, (the pride consisting of two females and seven cubs, three older, four only a few months old), but all in prime condition. We had to gamble where to position the jeep as often things do not go according to plan at the best of times cool. Taken towards the end of the afternoon in some nice light.

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Lioness (Panthera leo) drinking late afternoon
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 200-400f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/1250s at f/5.6 ISO800 (should have gone for 1/2000)
Original format: Portrait, minimal crop, almost FF
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2017

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 23, 2017 at 6:45 PM
Not the best light, since it is side-lit. Light isd always tough in africa.  You did  pretty well with it.
Great eyes, although I'd try to brighten up her left eye a bit. Love the tongue and bit of reflection.
What an experience that must have been, to be with 9 lions for several days!
Sandy

 
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Hisham Atallah on March 25, 2017 at 11:11 AM
Great light. I actually like the side lighting in this case. And the bit of green in the water adds some color to the frame.

Cheers,

Hisham.
Registered on November 5, 2014, 121 Posts, 352 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 26, 2017 at 8:48 AM
Hi Steve,

Nice portrait...always great when they're done with the subject actually doing something. To me this one feels simply a bit too bright overall - both in the sunlit and in the shaded portions. But then again, I tend to gravitate shots with a higher degree of natural contrast in them.

I smiled when I read your comment in the techs stating "should have gone for 1/2000" - I'm left wondering why? I see no indication of camera shake or subject movement here. And even in a shot like this (i.e., without a huge dynamic range) there are other negative consequences to elevating the ISO higher than necessary to effectively capture the shot.

Cheers...

Brad
Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments
Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 26, 2017 at 9:10 AM
I see no indication of camera shake or subject movement here. And even in a shot like this (i.e., without a huge dynamic range) there are other negative consequences to elevating the ISO higher than necessary to effectively capture the shot.

Hi Brad, I was very conscious that if that tongue was even more visible, lapping the water I wanted to ensure things were 'tack' sharp. Personally I see very little difference between 800 - 1600 ISO, but gaining a hit more SS may have been a wise move 'if' the opportunity came up. 
Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments