divine54

at mala mala captured on video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYtGlocCOTI

div

CarlaM

I just received the email from Mala Mala. What an incredible sight! We did see this very pregnant Styx lioness a couple weeks ago. Too bad we missed it. And the wild dog pups have come out of the den at Mashatu... I just saw the photos. Talk about a day late and a dollar short...well ok, lots of days late and lots of dollars short~lol! &lt

andybiggs

We came across a mother and a newborn cub, but that was back in April. I forgot which pride it would have been. Anyway, this video doesn't appear to be the birth of a newborn, but rather just video of a newborn. I skipped around, but what I could make of it the video was a few weeks late for the actual birth. There was one cub that got up and looked around. Newborn cubs are dark and their eyes aren't open.

divine54

carla
i was thrilled when i watched the video!
obviously the company is doing very well with all the new family members
and as you say you just missed it: one more reason to get back to the bush hoping that once you can witness something like this - if you don't find another reason ;-)
and also a reason to NEVER EVER skip a gamedrive - doesn't matter how many days in the bush!

div

aowens

Andy - about 6 minutes in you actually see the birth of the second cub.

andybiggs

ah. I guess I should stop skipping around, eh?

cary999

Well, I'm glad there was a title on it telling me what is going on because I could never tell from the video!!!! Nine minutes of blurred grass and voices is all it really is. I also skipped around, skipped about eight minutes of it. Sure, it is wonderful to witness in person but if you can't make a decent video and EDIT it, then no thanks. No excuses about poor light or lots of grass. Write a trip report instead .

regards - tom
ps - ranger's voice sounds like maybe Rob Scott, but not sure

cbdemille

Tom,

This is getting boring, we agree yet again! Even allowing for the poor quality of You Tube this is a less than worthy video given the relative uniqueness of this sighting, why has no attempt to clean it up been made?

It seems that it is always the way that when intersting things happen the recording is poor. Just look at the nonsense over Battle for Kruger

Andy

I agree stop that skipping around at once.

andybiggs

I skipped around because I was bored. Fairly bad video, and difficult to make out what the heck was going on.

Kavey

Amazing experience to witness in person, no doubt but, I'm afraid I too simply didn't have the patience to watch the whole thing given the apalling quality - I could barely make out anything at all though there were very occasional recognisable glimpses of ma lion and cub lions. I watched all the way from 5 minute marker to 7 minute marker and, even having been told it contained an actual birth, I couldn't make it out at all.

andybiggs

Just a friendly reminder for those who shoot video on safaris:

* make sure you are stable with your camera

* make sure your own body is stable

* don't think that you need to zoom in as close as you can get to 'get the action'. Our eyes are very good at making out subjects that are small in the screen.

* The more you zoom the harder it is to keep the image stable.

* Nobody wants to watch 5 minutes of the same scene. Learn how to use editing skills to slice up your long-ish video into 1 easier-to-view scene or movie.

* learn how to put together a storyline and shoot video to go along with it. Storytelling with video is much different than with still images.

Ok. Just a few thoughts.

ShellCat

Okay, critical photographers, just the fact very few people were lucky enough to witness the two cubs withinm moments of being born makes is a special expereince. Thank you to whoever was able to shoot the video in the first place, shaky or not. I am just glad to have the chance to see it versus reading the review on the Mala Mala cyberdiary.

Let's all hope they two cubs make it until we all get a chance to see them for ourselves.

cary999

Totally agree with Andy. When I'm putting together videos and/or photos for presentation I work to see how SHORT I can make it. I'd rather have my audience asking for more than falling asleep!!

And to continue with my 2 cents , when we see OUR OWN photo/video it brings back much more, the whole environment at the moment, sounds, smells, emotions. Another viewer does not feel any of this unless the photo by itself communicates it to them. For the most impact for showing, look at your photos/videos as if you were not there taking them.

As for "critical photographers", I think we are just trying to be reasonable. YMMV.

regards - tom

andybiggs

I looked at the video from start to finish this time, and what a wonderful moment Graham had with this lioness and newborn. Hats off to a great moment caught on tape. I just posted the points above for any future reference and for assistance, and not to be critical.

divine54

G U Y S, guys pls stop complaining here!
may i ask you to contact mala mala and advise them on their ranger's insufficient capability of shooting a video thru high grass while having inadaquat lighting a lioness giving birth to twins!

i am sure there are folks who appreciate that sighting/video even if the quality is questionable.

your comments are nothing but sinister and not much encouraging new fodorites to upload anything!

if a video upload doesn't find your approval just move on and address your advise to the right addressee!

your comments here are invalid as they won't have any impact unless you write to mala mala:
[email protected]

i would wonder whether one of you has got the nuts to contact them in the same matter you have posted here ;-)

div

Kavey

Hey, I'm not posting a criticism in the sense of complaining that Graham didn't make a better job of it!

At the end of the day, I'm full of awe that he and his guests got to witness such an amazing scene.

However, I disagree with the comment above, I actually found Graham's written account of the event much more interesting than the video.

To be honest, it could do with editing. It's really only the last 2.5 to 3 minutes that are watchable. And, without having been told up front what I was watching, all I'd be able to tell is that I was seeing a lioness with extremely young cubs, probably born just moments ago. Having been told what was going on, I could make a guess at which bit was the actual birth, but if I had not been told, I'd not be able to make it out. In honesty, I'm not sure many people could - the power of suggestion/ caption helps one see what one is told one is seeing.

It's an incredible experience, no doubt and I'm thrilled for those who saw it but I'm just commenting that I don't think the video is of sufficient quality to really share it very well.

Kavey

PS Divine, yes I did make the same comments directly to the person who shot the video so your question about whether one would "dare" make the same criticisms direct doesn't hold water.

However, since my comments are nothing more than my own reaction to the video, they are hardly relevant to Mala Mala. Saying that the video is of poor quality isn't the same as suggesting that Mala Mala must do something about it!!!!

cary999

I've heard (indirectly) that MM does monitor this forum. And if they don't, it sure would be smart of them to monitor it. We say a LOT about MM here.

regards - tom