Got My Attention
A male lion sits up straight to see the next potential meal coming its way.
A male lion sits up straight to see the next potential meal coming its way.
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Nov, 2019Views
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Awards
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Judge Favorite
Contest Finalist in One Is Beautiful Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Volume6
Peer Award
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
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Top 20 rank
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the private Amakhala Reserve near Port Elizabeth in South Africa, while on a summer vacation with my family. As a self taught and the self appointed family photographer, I am always the one carrying a camera and taking photos to capture the moment.Time
This photo is from one of the most memorable moments of our trip. It was just before sunset on the last day and the last game drive as we were heading back to the lodge. The lion was spotted up on the ridge that overlooked the valley. It seemed to be enjoying the expansive view and beautiful sunset. As we approached, something caught the lion’s attention and it sat up for a better look, which is when this photo was taken. A few seconds later, it crouched down to hide and its eyes began to track a large eland antelope slowly walking in the field nearby. The lion began to stealthy follow it. Fortunately for the eland, it noticed that it was being followed and took off before becoming the evening meal.Lighting
Luck and timing, like many photographs of mine. It was just before sunset, the golden hour, when we approached the lion. Lucky for us, the eland that caught the attention of the lion was approaching at the same time and in the direction of the sun and us. This provided the perfect natural light that was warm and soft to light the lions face and mane. Therefore, I can confirm the golden hour is a special time for photography.Equipment
This was a handheld shot using a Nikon D5100 with a 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
When we were approaching the lion, it reminded me of The Lion King movie. It was the perfect setting. A male lion was laying down with its head up looking over the expansive valley as the sun was setting. I wanted to capture the calm, confidence and strength of the lion, while in its natural environment.Editing
This is one of the first images I post-processed. As an amateur photographer using entry level gear and shooting JPEG, I would primarily stick to the basics with cropping, brightness/contrast and white balance. I bought a more extensive photo editor around this time and used this image to learn some of the features. Minor adjustments were made to reduce highlights and lighten shadows, as well as, using a smart sharpening filter too. My biggest challenge was a small dirt road that could be seen in the distant valley. I thought it distracted the viewer’s eye from the subject, as well as, the landscape. Therefore, I did edit it out with cloning and self healing tools.In my camera bag
I don’t have or bring a lot of gear, but the first thing I always pack are several fully charged extra batteries. I usually leave my camera on while hiking to be ready in case an interesting subject appears. On numerous occasions during long hikes, my battery has died and I was thankful to have another battery immediately available. In addition, I carry a telephoto lens and a macro lens. I’m currently using a 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and 85mm f/3.5 macro lens. As a nature photographer, I like to take photos of the larger wildlife as well as the small invertebrates often hiding in/on the flowers. This lens combination provides me the flexibility to do both.Feedback
The more opportunities and time spent to capture a moment, the higher the probability of success. For this picture, I went on a game drive every morning and evening over 3 days. It was on the last game drive and the last 15 minutes of that game drive when I took this photo. As a nature photographer, I find that persistence pays off and you will capture the moment when the subject, background and lighting all come together.
