Nature Lions at the National Zoo

Lions at the National Zoo · 06:33 PM

I had a lot of fun watching these guys interact. All taken handheld. Any thoughts on what I could do to get better captures would be greatly appreciated!

Link f/8, 300mm, 1/160 s, ISO 200

Link f/7.1, 300mm, 1/400 s, ISO 200

Link f/5.8, 300m, 1/200 s, ISO 100

Link f/7.1, 300mm, 1/250 s, ISO 200

Link f/7.1, 300mm, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Link f/7.1, 300mm, 1/200 s, ISO 200

And, for good measure, a shot of a Maned Wolf:

Link f/6.3, 300mm, 1/50 s, ISO 100

littledrawe · 11-30-2011, 06:36 PM

Originally posted by First Poster

Any thoughts on what I could do to get better captures would be greatly appreciated!

Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there.........

They look good to me.

ubizubi · 11-30-2011, 06:41 PM

Originally posted by littledrawe

Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there..........

Best I can do on short notice:

Link f/7.1, 210mm, 1/100s, ISO 100

littledrawe · 11-30-2011, 08:45 PM

Originally posted by littledrawe

Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there.........

Great but I was thinking into the lions enclosure

magkelly · 11-30-2011, 09:05 PM

Those first two really amuse me. You can almost see him preening and thinking YES, I AM THE KING OF THE BEASTS!

**Schraubstock** · 12-01-2011, 02:56 AM

Originally posted by First Poster

Any thoughts on what I could do to get better captures would be greatly appreciated!

Hi

I don't think you could have done much better, really - except you have fallen victim of the dreaded, dare I say it, yellow gremlins. Even my harshest critics of my complaining in this matter will have to agree that this yellow cast has to go. And when it does... well look at them now.

Greetings

ubizubi · 12-01-2011, 04:49 AM

Hmm. A warmer color temp always looks better to my eye when I'm pulling the photos into Aperture. But I think you're right, your versions look better. Did you do anything other than change the white balance??

**Sailor** · 12-01-2011, 05:38 AM

Terrific shots - particularly in a zoo (where lions seem to run into the shadows and hide when I show up with a camera!). Great job.

Jer

**Schraubstock** · 12-01-2011, 06:09 AM

Originally posted by ubizubi

Hmm. A warmer color temp always looks better to my eye when I'm pulling the photos into Aperture. But I think you're right, your versions look better. Did you do anything other than change the white balance??

No, I literally only adjusted the WB. Absolutely nothing else. You can see that it was a bright sunny day and the yellow cast is so pronounced and uncomplicated that it truly only took one click and it was gone.

There is warm toning and there is warm toning but these pictures have such a strong casts, if it wasn't for the few green leafs, they almost come across as monochrome. Shame, they are really quite nice otherwise.

Greetings

**dcmsox2004** · 12-01-2011, 07:24 AM

excellent shots... especially when these majestic felines move about and emote.... some really big MEOWS here... dave m

tpg2 · 12-01-2011, 01:26 PM

Excellent shots! The males look so regal! Tom

**WPRESTO** · 02-02-2012, 07:34 AM

Suggestion:The last picture of the lions - male growling @ female, both nearly lying down. Try cropping tightly to remove the tree with climbing guard in background, the cement wall of the moat in the lower foreground, and almost everything to the left of the male lion. Crop near the lioness' rump on the right (= crop off her tail). You'll probably reveal some softness in the image by removing so much, but I think the final product will be more dramatic and emphasize the story, which is the interaction of the lions, not the place where the photo was taken.

slowpez · 02-02-2012, 09:37 AM

Nice captures. Short of climbing into the enclosure with them, not sure you could have done any better.

Rupert · 02-02-2012, 10:30 AM

Love those..perfect light, well shot!
Regards!

daacon · 02-02-2012, 10:32 AM

It's been said - short of jumping into the den these are pretty darn good.

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12-01-2011, 02:56 AM	#6
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by First Poster Any thoughts on what I could do to get better captures would be greatly appreciated! Hi I don't think you could have done much better, really - except you have fallen victim of the dreaded, dare I say it, yellow gremlins. Even my harshest critics of my complaining in this matter will have to agree that this yellow cast has to go. And when it does... well look at them now. Greetings Last edited by Schraubstock; 03-07-2012 at 09:47 PM.

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11-30-2011, 06:36 PM	#2
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514	Originally posted by First Poster Any thoughts on what I could do to get better captures would be greatly appreciated! Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there......... They look good to me.

11-30-2011, 06:41 PM	#3
ubizubi Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Washington, DC Photos: Gallery Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by littledrawe Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there.......... Best I can do on short notice: Link f/7.1, 210mm, 1/100s, ISO 100

11-30-2011, 08:45 PM	#4
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514	Originally posted by littledrawe Throw a Kudu or a Zebra in there......... Great but I was thinking into the lions enclosure

11-30-2011, 09:05 PM	#5
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	Those first two really amuse me. You can almost see him preening and thinking YES, I AM THE KING OF THE BEASTS!

12-01-2011, 04:49 AM	#7
ubizubi Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Washington, DC Photos: Gallery Posts: 28 Original Poster	Hmm. A warmer color temp always looks better to my eye when I'm pulling the photos into Aperture. But I think you're right, your versions look better. Did you do anything other than change the white balance??

12-01-2011, 05:38 AM	#8
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Terrific shots - particularly in a zoo (where lions seem to run into the shadows and hide when I show up with a camera!). Great job. Jer

12-01-2011, 06:09 AM	#9
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by ubizubi Hmm. A warmer color temp always looks better to my eye when I'm pulling the photos into Aperture. But I think you're right, your versions look better. Did you do anything other than change the white balance?? No, I literally only adjusted the WB. Absolutely nothing else. You can see that it was a bright sunny day and the yellow cast is so pronounced and uncomplicated that it truly only took one click and it was gone. There is warm toning and there is warm toning but these pictures have such a strong casts, if it wasn't for the few green leafs, they almost come across as monochrome. Shame, they are really quite nice otherwise. Greetings

12-01-2011, 07:24 AM	#10
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522	excellent shots... especially when these majestic felines move about and emote.... some really big MEOWS here... dave m

12-01-2011, 01:26 PM	#11
tpg2 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Reading, Pa Photos: Gallery Posts: 733	Excellent shots! The males look so regal! Tom

02-02-2012, 07:34 AM	#12
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,107	Suggestion:The last picture of the lions - male growling @ female, both nearly lying down. Try cropping tightly to remove the tree with climbing guard in background, the cement wall of the moat in the lower foreground, and almost everything to the left of the male lion. Crop near the lioness' rump on the right (= crop off her tail). You'll probably reveal some softness in the image by removing so much, but I think the final product will be more dramatic and emphasize the story, which is the interaction of the lions, not the place where the photo was taken.

02-02-2012, 09:37 AM	#13
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,462	Nice captures. Short of climbing into the enclosure with them, not sure you could have done any better.

02-02-2012, 10:30 AM	#14
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	Love those..perfect light, well shot! Regards!

02-02-2012, 10:32 AM	#15
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	It's been said - short of jumping into the den these are pretty darn good.