Lion Cub Picture - Drinking

I took this Lion Cub Picture early one morning in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, at the Cubitje Quap waterhole. We were waiting patiently at the waterhole for only a few minutes when four lion cubs made their welcome appearance. The sun was still just behind some low cloud on the horizon, and therefore we missed the magic first light. Despite that this is still one of my favorite pictures.

The red tint is caused by the combination of clouds and dust between the sun the lion cub. Africa is a dusty place, even in the rainy season. Fortunately, the beautiful reflection and the little tongue touching the water make this image special.

Mornings are always good for water reflection photographs, since the wind only starts blowing later.

The stones of this man-made waterhole look a bit unnatural, but at least the background is beautifully out of focus, highlighting the subject.

This particular visit to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was in March 2006. We had a really good time and were blessed with many opportunities to take excellent photographs. I thoroughly believe this park is one of the top four wildlife photography hotspots in Southern Africa.

Sadly, at this time (early 2006) there were many broken water pumps, and therefore some waterholes didn't offer the wildlife any water. In a wildlife reserve, the animals can't roam free and move far distances in search of water, so this is an issue that must be addressed. The roads are pretty bad as well, but it is still well worth a visit... if you're driving a 4x4 or a rental. ;-)

If you would like opportunities to take pictures like this one, scratch around in my Africa Safaris section and start planning a trip! It won't happen unless you plan for it.