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True Love Taking A Break


True Love Taking A Break
Photo Information
Copyright: Loot Eksteen (loot) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-02-19
Categories: Mammals, Savannah
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 170-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO Ultra DG, Digital ISO 400, UV 86mm Kenko
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Great cats - Grandes felinos, Mammals of Southern Africa, Felidae of the world: First series, Animal Portraits II, Lions, Wildlife of Africa, Mammals of Africa, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park 1, A study in Mammalogy (mammals) 1, Wild Cats [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-03-12 16:17
Viewed: 5550
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lioness – Panthera leo

Photographed at the dry Thoboti riverbed, ±1.5km north of Sikwezele mountain, in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

In closing the saga of old "Scar Face" and "True Love" I give you her portrait. This was taken in between one of their intimate moments. She walked right up the riverbank then came and laid down some 7 metres from my car. For the previous posts in this series, please refer to my other posting that can be seen here and here.

These postings posed some questions that people asked so I decided to share those Q&A here with you.

Geof Worall (mrcrow)
Q These cat shots in the wild are beginning to look like they are tame...but I know how hard sometimes it is to get a cracking good cameo like this...

A At one stage I was ±5 metres away from "Scar face" and was busy doing some adjustments to my camera settings (so my attention was not on him) when he suddenly ripped loose with a mighty roar. Well, I nearly threw my camera out of the open window and then I had to do some serious containment of a certain part of my anatomy to prevent the "brake marks". To hear a lion roar at such close quarters does something to your ears, and your bravado, and it certainly loosens your bowels.

Janice Dunn (janice)
Q You must have been thrilled with this shot?

A You bet I was. I was shooting adrenaline as if I was a mainline junkie totally dependant upon it.

Anna-Lu McCormack (hummingbird24)
Q The fact that I find amazing, is 3,000 copulations for one offspring, seems like really bad odds. Any idea if this is the norm, or perhaps environmental influences that are causing this (re: low sperm counts)?

A The trivial information about the 3 000 copulations per 1 yearling old cub, must be seen in the light of the "no-hits" with regards to the low success rate of fertilisation as well as the rate of infant mortalities and infanticide. With other words it does not mean that they have to copulate ±3 000 times in order to conceive 1 cub.

Lions, like most cats, are induced ovulators, which mean that they can make themselves ovulate at any time. The female sometimes use this to her advantage in the sense that she will allow the male to mate with her (making him believe she is in oestrous) and so gain status and privileged treatment in the pride.

Another reason for the low conception or progeny rate is the quick 30-70 seconds copulation. Although intromission and ejaculation occurs 90% of the time the inefficiency may be a result of the induced ovulation. So, the lioness might not really be ovulating, but just pretending. It is believed to be the female’s adaptation to reduce competition amongst males within a pride. Mating inefficiency is especially high in new male coalition mating. Although females experience heightened sexual activity, it takes 6-9 oestrous cycles for females to adapt to the new sperm and to conceive.

Post Processing was done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0.
Robbrown, aido, Luc, ellis49, AndyB, coasties, manyee, scottevers7, Janice, Hoos, annagrace, Dyker, Miss_Piggy, Rehanna, betsie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To annagrace: Hello thereloot 1 03-25 00:41
To manyee: Aproximate reliefloot 1 03-14 00:37
To coasties: No headachesloot 1 03-14 00:30
To Robbrown: Thanksloot 1 03-13 20:37
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Critiques [Translate]

Great image and very original note and so very informative. TFS
sorry out of points

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-03-12 17:25]

Hi Loot,
Superb profile portrait, especially for a shot taken in the wild. Excellent detail and colour, perfect DOF. A very entertaining note as well, great post.
Regards,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1457 W: 0 N: 1176] (6526)
  • [2006-03-12 18:50]

Hi Loot,
Very nice capture with great POV,
Excellent soft lighting and good details,
nice and natural colours, great off-centre composition.
Very well done!

Hi Loot,
an amazing shot.
The low POV and the shallow DOF are great.
The details and exposure are spot on.
Great and very informative note.
Excellent work.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2006-03-13 2:27]

Hello Loot,
This is a very nice capture.
Excellent detail and POV with very good DOF.
I might have cloned away the green plant from the front leg but thats just a personal thing.
The shot is great and your note excellent too.
TFS

Have a good week.

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-03-13 12:18]

Hello Loot ,A Great shot ,very good details and sharp,
good compositie and colours, nice avening ,Teunie .

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-03-13 23:47]
  • [+]

Hi Loot,
That is an awesome shot. The proximity, the low POV...
and to think that this was taken in the wild !!!
It is a good thing she had other things on her mind, my friend. ; P
Incredible sharpness and perfect exposure.
Your notes were excellent, both informative and entertaining. TFS : )

Hi Loot

I guess she doesn't suffer from headaches? :-)

Seriously, what a great shot of the exhausted Lioness. You really got close to her. Hopefully all the mating will be successful and you will be able to photograph the result later in the year. I am sure I speak for all on TN as I say ' We look forward to those shots!'. This really is great work Loot. Thanks. :-)

Hi Loot,
Outstanding shot. The light here was soft, and this has rendered some great colors. Detail is very sharp. You can count every hair. I likr the composition and framing of this shot. Well done!
Scott

It's great to see a shot of lions in the wild.
Technically, the photo is super sharp and the colours are great.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2006-03-15 23:18]

Superb shot Loot. Perfect 'realness' of the ddear lady, so sharp and so clear! And let's hope it worked.
Your notes here and from the other 2 photos, have certainly kept me entertained and releaved - all I can say is, "I'm pleased I'm not a lioness!"

LOL at your mini documentary! Wonderful note, Loot. I love this portrait of the beautiful lionness. I have posted a funny one of a lionness with a phone book in our local zoo. I'm envious of your ability to see them in the natural environment. Have a great weekend!

Alli

Hallo loot
While taking a break this lioness has given you a very lovely pose here from the side.There are many details to appreciate, especially in the face area. Lovely big brown eyes, big black snout, rosy tongue, clear whiskers and most important the teeth to slaughter her prey. This is indeed a very majestic animal. Congratulations with such a lovely close-up shot. It is so close one can even see the huge tick on her ear. Thanks for sharing.
Love
Anna

Hello Loot

Mensig, maar die arme dier lyk uitgeput. Ek kan glad sien hoe snak sy na haar asem en ek is seker dit was nie omdat Romeo haar wind uit haar seile geneem het nie -ha ha. Ek sien sy het egter haar self laat geld met die behandeling wat sy vir ou Scarface toegedien het.

Nogmaals puik kamera werk Loot met selfs die bosluise wat duidelik sigbaar is op hierdie foto. Alles is perfek in plek met skerp fokus, pragtige natuurlike kleure, goeie lig, ens. Welgedaan.

Groete
Rehanna

Hi Loot
Lyk nie of hierdie ame vriendelik kan wees nie :-)
Amazing dat hulle nie ook bosluiskoors kry van al die luise nie. Jy het dit hier mooi vasgevang!

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