While leading a photographic workshop in the Masai Mara in 2021, we arrived at a fresh kill site where the Marsh Pride had taken down a buffalo the night before. The two dominant males, Logol and Halftail, were present alongside several lionesses and cubs.
Logol had moved off from the carcass, his belly full, quietly observing from a distance while the cubs fed. He had been sleeping for some time—not much of a photographic opportunity—so our focus shifted to the energy and behavior around the cubs.
As I worked with my group, guiding compositions and moments, I noticed Logol stir. He lifted his head and sat upright. I quickly redirected everyone to him, encouraging them to be ready for a portrait if he turned our way. The key was simple: watch for the moment his gaze aligned with the lens.
Through a series of attempts and short bursts, I captured several frames where that connection happened.
That direct eye contact is what elevates the image. It creates a one-on-one connection between subject and viewer—something you feel more than see. People often say the eyes are the portal to the soul, and in this case, that’s exactly where the image comes alive.
Post-processing was completed in Adobe Lightroom Classic, where I made a subtle crop to tighten the frame and intensify the impact of his gaze.
Because the original light was quite flat under an overcast sky, I used selective masking to carefully burn and dodge areas of shadow and highlight, restoring depth and dimension. I brought subtle emphasis to sections of the mane and gently enhanced the eyes to reinforce that direct, penetrating stare.
Globally, I pulled back the highlights and lifted the shadows to balance the tonal range, followed by slight clarity and texture adjustments to add presence without overprocessing. A refined tone curve introduced contrast, and a touch of color grading helped shape a more cohesive, moody atmosphere.
Camera Data:
Nikon D850
AF Nikkor 200-400mm, f/4
1/500 sec
f/11
7200 ISO
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While leading a photographic workshop in the Masai Mara in 2021, we arrived at a fresh kill site where the Marsh Pride had taken down a buffalo the night before. The two dominant males, Logol and Halftail, were present alongside several lionesses and cubs. Logol had moved off from the carcass, his belly full, quietly observing from a distance while the cubs fed. He had been sleeping for some time—not much of a photographic opportunity—so our focus shifted to the energy and behavior around the cubs. As I worked with my group, guiding compositions and moments, I noticed Logol stir. He lifted his head and sat upright. I quickly redirected everyone to him, encouraging them to be ready for a portrait if he turned our way. The key was simple: watch for the moment his gaze aligned with the lens. Through a series of attempts and short bursts, I captured several frames where that connection happened. That direct eye contact is what elevates the image. It creates a one-on-one connection between subject and viewer—something you feel more than see. People often say the eyes are the portal to the soul, and in this case, that’s exactly where the image comes alive. Post-processing was completed in Adobe Lightroom Classic, where I made a subtle crop to tighten the frame and intensify the impact of his gaze. Because the original light was quite flat under an overcast sky, I used selective masking to carefully burn and dodge areas of shadow and highlight, restoring depth and dimension. I brought subtle emphasis to sections of the mane and gently enhanced the eyes to reinforce that direct, penetrating stare. Globally, I pulled back the highlights and lifted the shadows to balance the tonal range, followed by slight clarity and texture adjustments to add presence without overprocessing. A refined tone curve introduced contrast, and a touch of color grading helped shape a more cohesive, moody atmosphere. Camera Data: Nikon D850 AF Nikkor 200-400mm, f/4 1/500 sec f/11 7200 ISO [+]
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