
Featured Pic
Every week
- … we feature not only pictures of lions, but also your best African travel/wildlife or nature shot.
- You still remain the owner of the photo even if we publish it.
- You can watermark the image with your name.
- Email your image to featuredpic@wherelionsroam.com.
All our Featured Pics for 2016 in a 2 minute video:
September 2017: Louise van Heerden
Photo © Louise van Heerden
Camera: Canon 7D with Sigma Lens 150-500mm lens
F-Stop: F7.1
ISO: 320
Shutter Speed: 1/200
Louise’s Description:
Found this beauty *somewhere* in the Kruger. That’s all we’ll say. What’s concerning is that as the years go by, we’re seeing fewer and fewer rhino in the Kruger.
September 2017: Izak van Heerden
Photo © Izak van Heerden
Camera: Canon 7D with Sigma Lens 150-500mm lens
F-Stop: F7.1
ISO: 1600
Shutter Speed: 1/400
Izak’s Description:
Early morning drive 10km north of Crocodile Bridge. This couple’s romantic time was interrupted by our game drive vehicle. They remained on the road for a while and then headed off into the field for private time.
August 2017: Louise Victor
Photo © Louise Victor
Camera: Canon with 100-400mm lens
F-Stop: F4
ISO: 250
Shutter Speed: 1/1600
Louise’s Description:
On a Mission. This lion was on his way to a waterhole in the Kgalagadi(Botswana side), the grass was beautiful with golden morning sun.
August 2017: Douda Bis
Photo © Douda Bis
Camera: Canon with 100-400mm lens
F-Stop: F6.3
ISO: 640
Shutter Speed: 1/4000
Douda’s Description:
The shot was shot taken in august this year in South Africa in Greater Kruger klaserie. We were following the tracks there with the guide from a lodge there and he managed to find him laying not far from 2 other lionesses.
Leo van Vuuren
Photo © Leo van Vuuren
Julie 2017, Week 1: Mems Carim
Photo © Mems Carim
Julie 2017, Week 2: Braeme Holland
Photo © Braeme Holland
Camera: Canon 7D
June 2017, Week 4: Japie Maritz
Photo ©Japie Maritz
Camera: Canon 1DX MII, Lens: Canon 500mm F4
F-Stop: F7.1
ISO: 1250
Shutter Speed: 1/640
Jason’s Description:
It was just before sunset at a rhino sanctuary in Africa. These rhinos had been at the water hole and were on their way back into the bush, against the setting sun. The last rays of the sun highlighted the small dust clouds around their feet, which caught my eye. The scene appeared very intimate – a family on a sunset stroll.
June 2017, Week 3: Jason Kandume
Photo © Jason Kandume
Camera: Nikon D5, Lens: 600mm F4 Version II
F-Stop: F4
ISO: 320
Shutter Speed: 1/250
Jason’s Description:
Photo of impala taken in the Chobe National Park.
[See our Interview with Jason Here]
June 2017, Week 2: Calvin Kotze
Photo © Calvin Kotze
Camera: Nikon D5, Lens: 200/400mm
F-Stop: F4
Calvin’s Description:
Early on a autumn morning at Ulusaba Private Game Reserve, myself and my tracker headed out with the intention of tracking down this specific female leopard and her cub to show our guests, after finding here were we lucky enough to watch them as the played together, they were up and down the trees, this particular moment was captured when the female heard a hyena walking in the distance and stopped to inspect the situation, the cub stayed close by.
June 2017, Week 1: Philip Vivier
Photo © Philip Vivier
Focal Length: 600mm
Shutter: 1/1250 sec
F-Stop: F6.3
Philip’s Description:
At the Melkvlei watering hole on our way to Nossob we encountered these playful young lions. I took many photos. In this one two of them bullied one another. This is just after they chased a lion with a stick in its mouth. Shot was taken in “Aperture Priority” mode. I reduced my exposure by a third of a stop.
May 2017, Week 5: Ilna Booyens
Photo © Ilna Booyens
Ilna’s Description:
Taken at Rietvlei dam close to Pretoria. Bird is Malachite Kingfisher.
May 2017, Week 4: Braeme Holland
Photo © Braeme Holland
Camera: Canon 7D, Lens 70-200 F4
ISO: 320
Shutter: 1/800 sec
F-Stop: F7.1
Braeme’s Description:
It was my first trip to the Kruger National Park. It was late afternoon, and near Skukuza restcamp i captured this young hippo on moms back. I was perhaps 15 metres away , and what an awesome bonding sight to behold!!
May 2017, Week 3: Rodney Xolile Nombekana
Photo © Rodney Xolile Nombekana
Rodney’s Description:
I took the photo in Pilanesberg National park. I decided to take Motlobo then Thlware loop and it it where the magic happened. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The Time was 6:40 am and the sun was just about to appear on Thlware loop. As you can see in the background the yellow is the sun just peaking through but was still in the shadows where the lions were. So I had to up my Iso to 1250 and my shutter was at 500. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as I was alone. The last time I saw the cubs were still small and far. She walked straight towards my vehicle. She was highly mobile so I had to be very quick. She was looking for the rest of the pride who were towards the dam wall of mankwe dam. She did pause for around 30 seconds and let me take a few shots of the cubs. Incredible sighting. What made it even more special was that I was alone with her and her cubs.
May 2017, Week 2: Joe Knapman
Photo © Joe Knapman
Camera: Olympus OMD EM-1, 300mm lens
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/1000 sec
F-Stop: F5.6
Joe’ Description:
The eyes say it all.
An unusual kill that reflects human wildlife conflict. The Masai brought their cattle too close to a pride of lions on the edge of the conservation area and the Serengeti. Suffice to say one of the cows became an opportunistic supper for the pride.
It’s always a little difficult to show the raw power of a lion and it’s kill without showing too much red stuff…
This image though, as she looks up, shows a killer look in her eyes.
May 2017, Week 1: Clint Ralph
Photo © Clint Ralph
Camera: Canon 1Dx Mk II, Canon F4 600mm L-Series lens
ISO: 160
Shutter: 1/2500 sec
F-Stop: F4
Clint’ Description:
My son and I found this magnificent specimen lying under a tree around 11am in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We were the only vehicle on scene so we sat with him for some time. Around 30 minutes later he stood up and started marking his territory. He walked past our vehicle for some distance and then stopped to smell the air. With that he did an about turn and walked straight towards us across the sandy pan. The perfect image other than the shimmer of the heat. What a magnificent Pride Male.
April 2017, Week 4: Hannes Lochner
Photo © Hannes Lochner
Hannes’ Description:
This is a photo of a page in my “KALAHARI PHOTOTIPS: Photographer on location” book
Qubitje Quap Waterhole (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa)
This waterhole is just 10 km away from the Nossob camp. and is probably my favourite in the Park. It is a fantastic spot to visit first thing in the morning as the light will be right behind you, and also during the afternoons. By parking on the little loop around the small treelines, you are perfectly placed for close-up photography. Be on the lookout for lion behind the small trees to the right of the waterhole. You can get really close to small birds like the canaries, finches and whydahs. Secretary birds, bateleur and vultures love to drink here during the hotter months.
General tip
This waterhole is well-known for two things: apart from all the predators drinking water here, the Lanner falcons and black-backed jackal hunt the sandgrouse and doves drinking here early in the morning.
How you can take a similar image
Lens: Telephoto
Settings: Large aperture. High ISO.
How: Get as close as possible to the water and use a super telephoto with large aperture to keep the focus on the subject, in this case the leopard. Also try to capture its flicking tongue. Make sure that your shut- ter is fast enough to freeze the tongue movement. Also try to keep the eyes in focus.
April 2017, Week 3: Douglas Carr
Photo © Douglas Carr
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/250 sec
F-Stop: F2.8
Douglas’ Description:
This photo was taken inside the Kruger National Park on the S125. It’s one of the Mluwati cups.
Here’s also some prove that one can get amazing photo’s with a old camera, as I’m still shooting with my now 12 year old Nikon D2x,
but with my amazing Sigma 120-300 2.8 Sport.
April 2017, Week 2: Ross Couper
Photo © Ross Couper
Camera: Nikon D3S
ISO: 800
F/stop: f4.0
Shutter: 1/500 sec
Description:
Photo taken at Singita Sabi Sand, South Africa.
April 2017, Week 1: Andrew Aveley

A semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains, the Kalahari supports more animals and plants than a true desert, such as the Namib Desert to the west. There are small amounts of rainfall and the summer temperature is very high. The driest areas usually receive 110–200 millimetres (4.3–7.9 in) of rain per year and the wettest just a little over 500 millimetres (20 in).
The surrounding Kalahari Basin covers over 2,500,000 square kilometres (970,000 sq mi) extending further into Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and encroaching into parts of Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Kalahari is home to many migratory birds and animals. Previously havens for wild animals from elephants to giraffes, and for predators such as lions and cheetahs, the riverbeds are now mostly grazing spots, though leopards and cheetahs can still be found. The area is now heavily grazed and cattle fences restrict the movement of wildlife. Among deserts of the Southern Hemisphere, the Kalahari most closely resembles some Australian deserts in its latitude and its mode of formation. The Kalahari Desert came into existence approximately sixty million years ago along with the formation of the African continent.
Derived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning “the great thirst”, or Kgalagadi, meaning “a waterless place”, the Kalahari has vast areas covered by red sand without any permanent surface water. Drainage is by dry valleys, seasonally inundated pans, and the large salt pans of the Makgadikgadi Pan in Botswana and Etosha Pan in Namibia. The only permanent river, the Okavango, flows into a delta in the northwest, forming marshes that are rich in wildlife. Ancient dry riverbeds—called omuramba—traverse the central northern
Photo © Andrew Aveley
ISO: 1000
Shutter: 1/2500 sec
F-Stop: F7.1
March 2017, Week 4: Lorraine Bettex
Photo © Lorraine Bettex
Lorraine’s Description:
Lorraine took this picture in November 2014 near Mpaya in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We observed 3 couples of lions. A male would like to have 2 females and so they fight.
March 2017, Week 3: Philip Vivier
Photo © Philip Vivier
ISO: 500
Shutter: 1/1600 sec
F-Stop: F6.3
Philip’s Description:
On 12 September 2016 we were on our way from Twee Rivieren to Nossob. It was 6:09 when I took the shot close to Rooi Puts. The secretary bird was walking across a sandy stretch. With my Nikon’s 1.5 crop sensor I had an effective zoom of 750mm. This was my pick of 34 shots taken of the bird.
March 2017, Week 2: Kellie Butler
Photo © Kellie Butler
Camera: Nikon D7000, Lens: Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR II
ISO: 500,
Shutter: 1/2500 sec
F-Stop: F2.8
Focal Length: 200m
Kellie’s Description:
Taken in the Serengeti, Tanzania. This beautiful cheetah mum and her cubs were pretty relaxed with our company. It was nice to see Mum grooming her babies after some heavy rainfall. There’s actually 4 cubs but of course there’s always one who wont pose for a photo.
March 2017, Week 1: Joanne Matson – Lion Cubs
Photo © Joanne Matson
Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV
ISO: 3200
F/stop: f5.6
Shutter: 1/400 sec
Joanne’s Description:
While on a Wild Eye photo safari in the Mara, we were waiting at lion sighting of 2 females and 1 male hoping that they may make a kill of close by buffaloes. We knew that 2 little Cubs were hiding in a bush nearby. We were just about to leave the sighting to return to the lodge in time, when the 2 females got up and made a call. Much to our surprise 8 little Cubs came running up the side of the hill and pounced on the 2 females. This is just one sweet pic captured of these cute Cubs.
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Featured Pic Notes:
- You must be the owner of the photo.
- Size must be between 500Kb and 1 Mb. We will request a larger print for the weekly feature.
- Photo will be featured on our social pages as well.
Please include the following information:
- Your name and surname,
- What camera,
- What camera settings were used,
- A bit mote background on how the image was taken.