Lion on watch at night - comments and crits?

[Doorstop]

My first post - hope I am doing this correctly

[Geoff F]

Everything uploaded fine, Karin.

With that photo, I wonder if there is too much dark blank space on the left?

Would it be 'stronger' if you cropped to a 4 x 5 ratio and lost the left hand side. Or alternatively a square crop?

Certainly a lot of potential in this scene.

[Donald]

That is a beauty, Karin.

I take Geoff's point. Even though I'm a big fan of 1:1 (square) images, I'm not sure that it works with this one. I think it centres the lion's nose and mouth too much. However, the 5:4 ratio as suggested by Geoff, does perhaps throw even more attention of the lion's head and that beautifully lit piece of ground in front and behind him.

Well done, what a first post.

[Shadowman]

Nicely done, I would clone out the sliver of light below the shoulder.

[jcuknz]

Lovely capture though a bit more space above his head would be better if you cropped for this else since it it black darkness it should be easy enough to 'increase canvas size' and the clone black up to fill the increased area.



In actual fact I simply increased canvas area with black and then cloned up some of his fur where the additional space caused an obvious straight line.
A small border also usually helps to set off an image.

Side issue ... how did you organise the back lighting

2nd edit .... you may be able to see the difference between picture black and edit black so an additional refinement would be to blurr the line to hide the hard transition.

[Doorstop]

Lovely capture though a bit more space above his head would be better if you cropped for this else since it it black darkness it should be easy enough to 'increase canvas size' and the clone black up to fill the increased area.
In actual fact I simply increased canvas area with black and then cloned up some of his fur where the additional space caused an obvious straight line.
A small border also usually helps to set off an image.

Side issue ... how did you organise the back lighting

2nd edit .... you may be able to see the difference between picture black and edit black so an additional refinement would be to blurr the line to hide the hard transition.

I really like what you have done here - I am not sure how to increase the canvas size, I take it that is done in Photoshop?

(It is really late here, so I have to go to sleep now, will check back tomorrow)

[jcuknz]

Others have mentioned in relation to other photos ... firstly there is no need to disfigure your photo with your name as those who will take note will accept and conform to your copyright while others will ignore it and simply clone it out. If you want to add your name then it is simple to increase canvas size and place your name in the added area, which is how often professionals do it to advertise their business either as 'part' of the photograph or on the mount the photo is presented on, but not within the photo.

edit to your #6 comment
Yes it was done in an editing programme, not Photoshop , and you would find that it could be done in the free download Paint.Net

[Doorstop]

... firstly there is no need to disfigure your photo with your name as those who will take note will accept and conform to your copyright while others will ignore it and simply clone it out.
Paint.Net

thanks for the advice on how this is done on this forum - this is an old signature, I do indeed have a different one that I use. Unfortunately where I live, it is almost mandatory to have some form of copyright notice on your stuff, otherwise you have no recourse if people use it, even for commercial purposes - which has happened to me and I could not claim any royalties because I did not have a copyright sign.

[Stagecoach]

Very impressive Karin.

I look forward to hearing how this was lit.

[Doorstop]

This was shot while someone held a spotlight from behind the lion, and we were on this side to photograph it. I was trying to locate the EXIF for you - I thought the EXIF would be attached.

[IzzieK]

Very beautiful shot! Nicely done. You have already received good suggestions here. I'd follow through if I were you.

[bnnrcn]

I like it very much, very impressive indeed

[vaez]

well done and amazing shot

[Doorstop]

thanks a million Izzie, bnnrcn and vaez for view and comments, I appreciate it tremendously.