Out of Africa 3: Lions (stay in your cars!)
« Lion Park 1: Magnificent Bachelor
Monday 23rd January ~ 9:50am
One can feel awfully vulnerable driving through a lion park only inches away from a pride.
karen: "Do you think we can open our windows?"...
annie: "NO! I do not!!"
Focal length = 300mm; Apature = 5.6; Shutter = 1/100th
» Lion Park 2: The Bachelors
Monday 23rd January ~ 9:56am Immediately on the left of us (as we entered the park) were three bachelors - not yet ready to challenge the dominant male of the pride. It was amazing watching the chemistry unfold,
Focal length = 180mm; Apature = 5.6; Shutter = 1/60th
« Lion Park 3: Vanquished male
Monday 23rd January ~ 9:58am
The lion further behind the pride was not nearly in as good shape as the young bachelors. He appeared to either be the previously dominant male, or had launched an unsuccessful attempt to become the pride's dominant male. His eyes were all cut-up and swollen.
Focal length = 190mm; Apature = 5.6; Shutter = 1/60th
» Lion Park 4: Mates
Monday 23rd January ~ 9:53am The dominant male followed this lioness like she was a possession. Wherever she went, he followed... and within minutes of her stopping anywhere, he would then begin again to mate with her.
Focal length = 75mm; Apature = 5.6; Shutter = 1/60th
« Lion Park 5: Mating
Monday 23rd January ~ 10:05am
Big boy copulated with favourite mistress at 9.48am, 9:55am, and again at 10:05am! Conservatively, that's every 10 minutes!!! *sheeseee*
Focal length = 300mm; Apature = 5.6; Shutter = 1/60th
LP #6: Young female
LP #7: The King & his spoils
LP #8: HIS favourite matriarch
LP #9: What lions do best!
Generally speaking, I struggled with exposure this day. It was VERY overcast, and there was very little light. This resulted in the photos having a greenish/blueish tinge to them. Most of the pictures use a 5.6 apature (in an attempt to keep a reasonably deep depth of field) but the shutter speed rarely went over 1/60th of a second - the time recommended as the cut-off for use of a tripod. This problem did manifest itself in some photos as *camera shake*
NOTE: I like Lion Park 4 and 8 best.