Black Lion
Madikwe Game Reserve, 14 August 2010, 16h59
Nikon D300, Nikon 80-200 @200mm, 1/80, f/7.1, ISO 1600
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Yesterday I sat at a waterhole, with Andy Biggs and Grant Marcus, waiting for a pair of rhino to drink. A giraffe arrived and then we sat waiting for him to drink. Lots of waiting. All of this because we all had our own ideas of the type of image we wanted to get. Is it worth it?
Absolutely!
But then every once in a while things happen that you cannot quite predict or visualize before you click the shutter. A day earlier, not one of us got on the game viewer for the afternoon drive with the idea and goal of photographing a pitch back, muddy lion. But we did!
After watching three young lions feed on something in a very muddy pan we left for a couple of beers. It was a fantastic sighting but it was quite far off and the lions had their faces buried in the mud trying to eat whatever it was they were feeding on. No real photo opportunities apart from a few documentary type shots.
After our sundowners we returned to find the lions, now covered from top to bottom in black mud.
Somewhere in between the disbelief, amazement and laughter we started firing away. Most of the light was already gone so I had to push my ISO up to 1600 but the scene was just too good not to photograph and we all came away with some great shots.
The one youngster sat on a little red hill while the other two made their way into the thickets playing as they go. We followed the three black cats for a while as the light disappeared completely but what a great afternoon! And the best thing? Sharing it with good friends and photographers!
I will still be working through more of these black lion images soon but for now remember that you can click on the thumbnail at the top of the post for a larger view. In the meantime, here is another quick, unprocessed image of the black cats that I posted on Facebook a day or so ago.
Wildlife photography – sometimes you wait, sometimes things just happen but it’s always great!!
Will be back tomorrow but it’s almost time to go. Later this morning the three of us will be packing a cooler box, gas braai and some boerewors and head out for a day trip to Madikwe with all our better halves. Another great day ahead!
See ya tomorrow!
Gerry
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