Lion Pride at a Waterhole

A lion pride gathers beside a small waterhole in late afternoon light. The male stands on the left, his dark mane framing his face. One lioness bends to drink while another watches from the right, with two cubs between them. Beyond the muddy bank, flat-topped acacias stand against dry grassland and distant hills.

The drinking lioness and her reflection nearly meet at the waterline. Her legs form clear vertical shapes above it, but the reflected shapes break into horizontal ripples below. Those ripples also carry blue from the sky. Around the cubs, pale grass and tawny fur are close in color; ears, paws and small shadows are more useful distinctions. The male's mane forms a much darker section at the opposite end of the bank.