Lion
I found this lion sitting along the airstrip in a game reserve in Londolozi, South Africa. What a beautiful animal and the sound of his roar what so incredibly...
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I found this lion sitting along the airstrip in a game reserve in Londolozi, South Africa. What a beautiful animal and the sound of his roar what so incredibly intense.
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Jan, 2014Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo while on safari in Londolozi, South Africa on November 28, 2013. It was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. Londolozi is a private game reserve which was established in 1926 and is part of the Sabi Sands private game reserve, situated on the western border of the Kruger National Park. My husband and I stayed in one of the five lodges there known as the Tree Camp and for 3 days we embarked into the bush with our guides on an incredible journey. My visit to Africa wouldn't be complete until I saw the "big five" which includes the lion. Originally used by hunters, the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino refers to five of Africa's greatest wild animals. One day, our guides happened to see the lion seen in this photograph just sitting along the airstrip. He looked so regal. We held our breath and just sat there watching him for quite some time. I was told to stay seated in the jeep so as not to startle him but I managed to take a lot of photos. After awhile, our guide gently suggested that I put my camera aside and enjoy the scenery. All of a sudden, this lion began to roar. The sound was so extraordinary to me and reverberated through all of us. Other lions, hidden from sight, began to roar in return which was so magnificent to hear and enjoy!Time
It was late in the afternoon, close to dusk when I took this photo. I was lucky to get so many shots off before sunset. The guides usually tried to get us back to camp before dark, but this day was different. When the lion finally stood up, the guides thought it would be fun to follow him in the jeep to his final destination. The lion had ultimately walked to a pride of female lions seen playing with their cubs. The guides pulled their flood lights out so that we could see a little better. We just sat in the jeep and watched them interact with one another. They were just so fascinating to watch. By the time we got back to camp that night it was pitch black. What an exciting day!!Lighting
It was close to dusk so the lighting wasn't very good. Therefore, I knew that I needed to quickly take as many shots of this lion as I could before sunset. To make it even more challenging, I had just purchased a new Canon camera before the trip that I used to take all of my photos. It was challenging because I was just beginning to learn how to use it while I was furiously snapping away taking as many photos as I could in my excitement.Equipment
I used my Canon camera Rebel SL 1/EOS 100D. I did not use a tripod or flash. I used a zoom lens with a range of 55-250.Inspiration
I have a passion for photographing wildlife and I was inspired by everything that I saw in Africa, including the lions. The lions were my favorite though. I just think that they are so regal and majestic in appearance and the most fascinating animals in the bush.Editing
Nothing special. At the time that I took this photo, I only used Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 to tweak this picture and enhance the colors a little. I now use Adobe Lightroom 5 exclusively.In my camera bag
I normally carry my Canon camera Rebel SL 1/EOS 100D along with two lens: zoom lens 55-250 and macro lens EF 100mm, 1:2.8 in my bag. Along with various filters, I also include the instruction manual and an additional battery in my bag as well.Feedback
Taking photographs of a wild animal such as a male lion can be tricky and potentially dangerous if not prepared. I felt fairly safe because I was sitting in a jeep with a guide but I was still a little nervous and did not take anything for granted. To be able to take a great photo, you should try to become familiar with a lions movements and try to anticipate what they are going to do next so you can capture a great moment. Male lions tend to sleep 20 hours per day so I was lucky to see him awake. I've also read that they are bad tempered and terrorize the female lions in their pride. I did not see that though. This lion was met with playful hugs when he met up with the female lions and their cubs in the pride.
