Feb (1)
Feb, 2015Views
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lovelymountains
July 26, 2015
Join the cogorgeous shot!nversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique.
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kkat
July 26, 2015
Beautiful, Sad image of Lioness in Zoo.I want to take her home!!!! Marvelous Capture! Congratulations!
Platinum
hammerhead
July 26, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
lovelymountains
August 04, 2015
Awe..., I want to reach out and gently pet this lion. Great photo. :-)
D_Photography
August 20, 2015
Oh my God this is lovely - she looks like your average dog! So amazingly beautiful. Lovely, lovely shot!
Platinum
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken an exotic animal rescue in August of 2013. I have been a volunteer there since 2007 (both photographer and animal care) so I have a unique opportunity to get to know these animals and for them to learn to trust me. I hoped I would get something special when I saw her laying in the open shade of her enclosure- it was already a treat that she didn't immediately get very upset and take off when she saw the camera. She and her sister both had always seemed terrified of my camera (so much so that I have a zillion out of focus shots of them coming at me or running to hide!) On this day, she seems to have decided that as long as she kept a close eye on me, it would be okay. It was amazing. She simply looked at me for several minutes without changing her position, allowing me to take my time with camera settings and my position. Working through the chain link fence always limits positioning, but this day was perfect.Time
While I always carry my camera bag while doing animal care duty, feeding and photo session are almost always two different visits. Hungry animals aren't usually very cooperative and when they see the food bucket, all bets are off until they eat. In addition, it is normally late morning, nearing noon when the big cats are fed, making lighting tricky. It was a beautiful day, not too hot with a slight breeze - perfect lion weather! The mood was very calm and relaxed during feeding so I came back to the enclosure during the early afternoon, after they had enough time to finish eating and settle back down.Lighting
I have to credit the lioness with the lighting. . .she chose to lay in the perfect spot at the edge of open shade on a gorgeous sunny day. I will say that this is the photo that convinced me that shooting in manual mode was the way to go. This is one of the first times I had the chance experiment for a while with different settings to capture what I really wanted the viewer to see. The natural lighting/positioning really showcased the emotion in her eyes, and that is what I wanted to capture.Equipment
This image was taken with a Canon t3 and the kit lens. . .because of the mobility, independent nature of the model, and dislike of the camera, I shoot with camera only. No tripod, no flash. . .because these are very dangerous animals not trained to sit and stay or pose for photos, photographing them is always done from outside the cage, so lots of equipment would be impossible to work with to get the shots as quickly as I need to. I put my lens into a gap in the chain link, getting into the best position I can to photograph what I see. I'm sure it's quite amusing to watch me try to get my shot as, cage or not, I take off pretty quick when they decide to check out my equipment or that photo session is over!Inspiration
I have always been a huge animal lover and really want for everyone to see why I feel they way I do about them. Wild animals should live in the wild - they aren't pets or entertainment. Working with these animals over a period of nearly ten years has created a relationship with them. They have learned to trust me enough to allow me to get close, to have a camera up in their faces, and make amazing eye contact. I have learned their natural behaviors and body language that tell me today may be an awesome photo day without stressing them in any way. That eye contact is where I hope to illustrate their feelings, deep emotions, and level of intelligence and wisdom that is not normally seen by the average person.Editing
For this image, a simple crop to eliminate some cage in the background is the extent of post-processing.In my camera bag
After actively photographing nearly everything in sight for about ten years, my equipment still consists of a Canon t5 body and the kit lenses. Since this image was taken, I had to replace the t3 I took it with and while I would love to have upgraded (a lot!), my budget doesn't allow it and my brain can't justify a true need for it. When I get a shot that I am as proud of as this one, I can't really convince myself that I 'need' more camera, more lens. . .I do still want more camera and lens badly, though!Feedback
In my opinion, if you are photographing animals of any kind, allowing them to be who they are is vital. Learn their habits, behaviors, likes, and dislikes and work around those traits. Even if you are working with puppies and kittens, give them a little distance and time to get used to your behavior and equipment. If they are too interested in what you are doing, you will get some fun and even wonderful photos, but to capture their personalities and individual characteristics, they need to be comfortable and relaxed. I quit at the first signs of stress - I won't get what I am looking for and they will be stressed for no reason. I shoot captive exotic animals a lot and they present their own challenges as they are used to human presence and equate it with at best, feeding, and at worst, abusive behavior. Recognizing their moods and understanding their body language means less stress on both of you and a much higher chance of producing the image that you envision. Safety first, always for both the animal and yourself - don't ever think that their current behavior means you can take chances you wouldn't normally. The are fast and sometimes unpredictable. Even working through a cage, an angry animal can hurt you or themselves badly. Their well being should always be your first priority - that will help create the trust you need from them. As far as equipment you need, I am a believer in using what you have to its fullest potential before going out and spending lots of money. While I would love to have lots and lots of expensive prime lens and a top of the line camera body, I also believe that the photographer is the most important factor in getting a good image. Learn everything you can, practice everywhere you go, learn what you can't do with your current equipment before giving in to the desire to get 'better gear'. It may be that you can do what you want with more learning and practice.
