Gwen Callas-Miller

August 2026 - Out of the Shawdows

About the Image(s)

Equipment: Sony a1, FE 300, 2.8 +1.4 TC
Settings:1/800, f/8, ISO1250
Description:
It was really hard to choose this month. I have a wealth of photos from my trip to Botswana that I'm still working through. Several that I am very excited about. Here is one that i think has potential but would appreciate your feedback. This is part of a sequence of this Lioness and her cub walking stealthily through tall grasses. She has an expression of high alert as she moves out into the open. I chose to leave some of the grass covering much of the right side of her face as well as some wisps of grass to provide more of a raw look to match her raw emotion. What are your thoughts? Some judges dislike distractions, others might see it as complementary. My goal is to focus on her intensity and caution. Should I clean it up? Any other thoughts?

8 comments posted

Judy Haran

I think you did a marvelous job on your recent trip. You have a wealth of exciting interesting photos.
I like the concept of this photo, stalking thru the grasses to hunt. I would not remove any more grasses, however on my screen the photo shows up in lower light. I see a catch light in the rear cub and his eyes, and parts of his face seem sharper than his mother in front of him. Her eye doesn't seem as bright or sharp and the right paw seems soft.
I will looks at this again on another monitor and see what differences show. Posted: 08/06/2026 20:49:45

Gwen Callas-Miller

Thanks Judy! I think you are right. The focus was more on the cub. I had to do a little sharpening on the mom but probably need to work on it a little more. Let me know if you have other thoughts once you look on a different monitor. Posted: 08/06/2026 22:07:25

Peter Dominowski

Where were you in Botswana? Chobe?

I really like the way these animals are posed; their expressions convey their focus on the hunt and to me supersede any minor softness in the photograph. Posted: 08/07/2026 11:39:03

Gwen Callas-Miller

Thanks Peter! Yes, this was taken near the Chobe River while with the Pangolin Photography group. Posted: 08/07/2026 20:45:14

Sherry Icardi

I too love the composition! I would not remove more grass. To me it shows the stealth of the hunter and the innocence of the cub. I can just see her thinking chill to that little one! I do not mind the slight softness of the mom, and it's possible that they were on different planes which precludes getting them both sharp.
I have recently been shooting birds at F/6.4 (using my 300mm) when there are multiples, particularly when I'm shooting parent and chicks. Some just won't work but I've got clean shots of others. Only in brighter light. Posted: 08/07/2026 21:20:21

Gwen Callas-Miller

Thanks Sherry. Yes the 300 is such a sharp lens to work with. This was taken on a bit of an angle. I think the lens working around the tall grass contributed to the softer areas. Posted: 08/07/2026 23:26:40

Sarita Yeola

Gwen,
I love the composition of this photograph. The light is illuminating the subjects beautifully, and I think the grass adds to the story and sense of place. Perhaps using a higher f-stop would have helped get both the cub and the lioness in focus. However, you could also try adding a bit of texture, clarity, and sharpening to the lioness to help address the softness. Great job! Posted: 08/10/2026 18:14:04

Gwen Callas-Miller

Thanks Sarita! I think I have pushed this as far as I can in post. Posted: 08/10/2026 21:05:14

PID Digital Dialogue

Group 94