Pawsitively Adorable-Rework

Image Critiques Wildlife Critiques
1

Rework of original

Pawsitively Adorable-2-Rework
Pawsitively Adorable-2-Rework1500×1024 269 KB

Original

Pawsitively Adorable.jpg
Pawsitively Adorable.jpg1500×1500 352 KB

This is a rework of the original post. I reset the crop to provide more of the environment, and reprocessed without over-sharpening. I decided not to remove the rock as it is part of the environment. Instead I dodged it to remove the sheen and make it less noticeable.
Appreciate your feedback.

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I located a female lion and her 3 cubs just before sunrise one morning. They were resting, and as the sun rose they got up and started to walk away from me. I relocated so they would be approaching me with the sun rising behind them. They were at a distance and I was in no hurry.
As they approached I noticed an interesting behaviour in the cubs. The two females stuck close to mom, while their brother seemed to have other things on his mind. He would stop periodically to check out a flower or an interesting shaped rock. He seemed fascinated by the dew on everything. Mom and the other two cubs would have to stop and wait for him to catch up.
This was unusual behaviour for a male cub. Normally, they would be right there with mom and often trying to lead.
This went on for about 15 minutes until mom became a bit exasperated with the lingering behavior of her cub and called him to catch up. As he filled the frame I took my image.
His facial expression acknowledges that he recognizes that he might be in trouble, but that he was adorable enough to escape any punishment.

Specific Feedback

All feedback is welcome especially related to composition and story

Technical Details

Camera: Nikon Z8
Lens: Nikkor 400mm f4.5 VR S
settings: 1/640 @f4.5 ISO 2000, 0 EV

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2 Likes
2

Hi Garnet -this is a wonderful look at this sweet but rambunctious cub. That face and eyes are just adorable.
From here, the the head seems a little over-sharpened and “crunchy”, and that rock on the right is a bit distracting and draws my eye.
A great catch !.

3

Thanks Sandy. You are right about the crunchy look. I violated one of my standards in post-processing which is: “Never edit when tired”! I have reworked the image and will post the revised version now.

4

Hi - You’re posting some terrific images, but are kind of an enigma! Where do you live? I’d love to know more about you… :slight_smile:

5

I really like the composition of your rework.
There are so many choices to make, in digital photography ‘over sharpening’ & ‘over saturation’ are two traps, we have to be careful about.
Personally I prefer your rework, but if one is looking your images in the mobile, ha may prefer the original post.

6

edit is perfect,imo! Greaat image!

7

Hi Sandy. I am a retired Wildlife Biologist and University Lecturer currently living in the pene-exclave of Point Roberts, WA. It is a small community (5 square miles), surrounded on three sides by water, and the Canadian border on the fourth side.

8

Thank you for your kind words Jagdeep. I have to remember two things in future, before posting to NPN: 1) don’t edit when tired, and 2) slow down and double check the image before posting :slight_smile:

9

Thanks Sandy. More to come…

10

Garnet - Hey, we’re almost neighbors! Great to know more about you! From your images, I was thinking you were in Africa, possibly… You’re in a beautiful area in Washington. My husband Jim is also a retired Biology professor.

11

Hi Sandy. I have had the good fortune of spending a lot of time in Africa.
We have family in South Africa and Botswana, and I was first drawn to Kenya and the big cats very early in my career.