Wild Supreme

Laguna Beach - Wild Supreme

(F11 2.5sec ISO 100 90mm)

Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, CA.

A cool, damp and foggy Sunday morning. Not yet 530AM and I had already been out shooting for over 90 minutes when I found myself mesmerized by this profile portrait of a male lion that dominates the front window of the National Geographic Fine Arts Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. I loved the after-hours lighting and the photograph of this majestic animal itself. I knew that I wanted to make a photograph, but as it turned out, what I really needed to do was to solve a bit of a puzzle before I could release the shutter.

Studying the scene from across the street I developed a vision in my mind of what I wanted my final image to look like. One thing was for sure, I felt it was very important to include the bench as part of my composition. I could already visualize myself inside the gallery sitting in the center of that bench studying the details of the lion.

I moved out into the middle of the street and set up my tripod (working from the middle of the street is another benefit of being out at this early hour.) Getting the composition to my liking took several tedious minutes. First identifying a focal length that included some of the gallery details in the shadows on both sides of my main subject (the lion photograph.) Then several tripod moves and adjustments (to eliminate reflections in the window, center up the bench and lion photograph both in my composition, but also in between the two window frames.) The window frames drove me crazy!

This is the photograph that I came away with. It's not perfect - (I should have moved my tripod a dink-hair more to the left in order to have some open space between the right leg of the bench and the window frame on the right.) I told you that those damn window frames drove me crazy and now they will forever!

After returning home and processing and studying this photograph I was very moved by the beauty of the lion captured in the photograph. I felt as if the photographer was a personal friend of this lion. There's something special here. I can feel it in my heart. I had to know more. I had to know who created such a majestic photograph.

Her name is Beverly Joubert and her photograph is titled "Wild Supreme, Botswana, 2008." I have now spent well over 2 hours looking at her photographs and learning a little bit more about her. Her photography is wonderful and definitely worth getting to know. She has a special gift. You will not be disappointed. You can find her website HERE.