Brothers

Natalie Manuel

Brothers

It’s not everyday you get to see a species known for its ferocity, showing tenderness instead.

These are two Lion brothers (captivity) who had spent most of the morning playfully teasing each other before they sat down to…well….no other word for it – “cuddle”.

This was the only shot I got that worked as they were partially obscured by a toy in their enclosure. On review I was very lucky, not only was there a beautiful symmetry in the lions’ head positions, but both eyes were closed in the ‘moment’ as well. The image has been edited for a more dramatic effect and to perfectly isolate the two animals and their experience.

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Brothers belongs to the following groups:

Exotic Mammals, Masterpiece: Photography and Zoophoria (2 per day, approval required) Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints

Brothers by Natalie Manuel
  • Paul Vanzella

    Paul Vanzellafounder

    Sensational – the texture and feeling in this image is divine!

  • Helene Kippert

    Helene Kippert

    Beautiful – love it!!

  • Graeme Hindmarsh

    Graeme Hindmarsh

    I love the contradiction – savage/tender. Great work!

  • Devan Foster

    Devan Foster

    your wildlife shots are great. your masking of the photos works wonders.

  • jenitae

    jenitae

    Amazing

  • snoopytas

    snoopytas

    This would have to be my all time favourite shot of yours Nat. i keep coming back to it and just look at it for ages.

  • kmargetts

    kmargetts

    Wow, i just love it, i agree with Ricki, i have to keep looking at it, its fantastic.

  • carpenter777

    carpenter777

    Very moving

  • Jessica  Tremp

    Jessica Tremp

    this is so beautiful

  • Tim Condon

    Tim Condon

    You should be proud of it!! Loving your work.

  • Sharon Bishop

    Sharon Bishop

    A very unusual shot of lion. Great stuff!

  • bunnij

    bunnij

    love it. your wildlife shots are great

  • Lexx

    Lexx

    beautiful, soft and strong at the same time : )

  • Lachlan Kent

    Lachlan Kent

    So much love from this image!

  • StacyLee

    StacyLee

    Stunning! The power and yet the softness of this photograph makes it special to me :)

  • Deri Dority

    Deri Dority

    Stunning. I love how you softened the picture. Great picture and great job on post production.

  • Nando MacHado

    Nando MacHado

    I’m stunned by your animal shots. You have such a particular way in your post-production, and the final result is amazing!

  • Mandy Fell

    Mandy Fell

    wow ….totally outstanding…..

  • krafty

    krafty

    Absolutely beautiful image and this has to be my favourite so far.Brilliant.

  • jasmyn

    jasmyn

    omg absolutely beautiful.

  • Tony Moore

    Tony Moore

    Flaming brilliant, instantly FAVED

  • Lucindawind

    Lucindawind

    what a wonderful photo ..

  • ECGardner

    ECGardner

    How amazing and tender! I love that you’ve shown this other side to them… so often people fail to see an animal’s heart.

  • Biswajit Pandey

    Biswajit Pandey

    You captured such a tender moment in a such beautiful way.

  • Lisa Roberts

    Lisa Roberts

    You are so right Natalie, we are made to fear certain animals and quite rightly so but in their own environment with their own kind, they can exhibit behaviour and emotions similar to our own.
    You capture this fact beautifully.
    Lisa x

  • Douzy

    Douzy

    How awesome!!!! Your whole portfolio is so interesting, animal photgrapher, what a job! Well done :))

  • Michael Lane

    Michael Lane

    Another really amazing shot!

  • Melinda Kerr

    Melinda Kerr

    Another great shot Natalie. Man what a shame you didn’t enter the Digital photo awards. A shot of lions won the main prize and with respect to that photographer this would have beaten it!

  • Jessica  Tremp

    Jessica Tremp

    gorgeous work Natalie…like he is gently nipping him

  • Tiffany Dryburgh

    Tiffany Dryburgh

    Oh my good god, how have I not seen this before?!! It is just stunningly beautiful and gorgeously moving and just so sweet.

  • James  Ireland

    James Ireland

    it is very lovely

  • Danielle Espin

    Danielle Espin

    Awesome shot, love the softness of the photograph compared with the amazing strength that male lion’s are so capable of…

  • micmac

    micmac

    Your ritght powerful and gentel,amazing capture

  • TrEaSuReDiMaGeS

    TrEaSuReDiMaGeS

    Such a wonderful photo, showing the tenderness in all living things!!

  • Annika Strömgren

    Annika Strömgren

    Wow, amazing shot!!

  • vonne

    vonne

    Absolute PERFECTION!

  • Faizan Qureshi

    Faizan QureshiAll Rounder

    So expressive and soft… great image Nat!

  • Gary L. Suddath

    Gary L. Suddath

    fabulous shot,even though the can be a formable force they can also show compassionate emotion

  • Ross Krambergar

    Ross Krambergar

    You have a real talent, your work is superb

  • Kalena Hill

    Kalena Hill

    Wow!!! This is spectacular!

  • joconti

    joconti

    This is just gorgeous!

  • berndt2

    berndt2

    Brilliant shot – exactly as you said “tender and savage”. The two lions are incredibly well lit and detailed: and the colouring is just perfect!

  • Robin D. Overacre

    Robin D. Overacre

    brotherly love! very nice and sweet

  • Albert1000

    Albert1000

    Wow, very nice indeed. Excellent.

  • KBSImages

    KBSImages

    POWERFUL Image!!!! You really did an outstanding job with this! Kim

  • greenlady

    greenlady

    I THINK THIS IS THE BEST SHOT OF LIONS I HAVE EVER SEEN! I TIP MY HAT TO YOU!! Love your other lion shots as well!

  • whitetiger790

    whitetiger790

    I love it!

  • Lauren  Paikin

    Lauren Paikin

    this is trully an incredible peice of work. i am in awe

  • Lauren  Paikin

    Lauren Paikin

    this is trully an incredible peice of work. i am in awe

  • Shelley Spillenaar

    Shelley Spille...

    beautiful capture !

  • WayneD

    WayneD

    strong image represents a lot!! wow!!sony wolrld photo comp would have loved this one.

  • Phillip  McCordall

    Phillip McCor...

    one of the great images I would love to have done it

  • orourke

    orourke

    really fantastic photo, great title too

  • Liz  Wohlrab

    Liz Wohlrab

    i have to say your concept is outstanding,
    I love the way you express the emotion along with the lion
    this is simply amazing,

    your capture is something i have never seen and
    only hope to be in the moment of this level of
    affection when in the view of a lion
    well done

  • Stacy Rodriguez

    Stacy Rodriguez

    This shot is so sweet. Love it :)

  • Terry Arcia

    Terry Arcia

    this is precious

  • Tausha

    Tausha

    brilliant! You do incredible work with animals! Love them all!

  • Americana11

    Americana11

    Oh this is absolutely beautiful!

  • Caroline Bland

    Caroline Bland

    Well, doesn’t this give us a different perspective! So moving and so beautiful

  • Brett Still

    Brett Still

    I think you have captured the emotion in this image well. Great work.

  • stephfine

    stephfine

    Brothers are friends for a life time!! LOve It!!

  • Jacqueline Barreto

    Jacqueline Bar...

    wow – that photo is amazing! i can understand why you’re so proud of this shot!

  • Peter Penfold

    Peter Penfold

    love this shot its presented in such a sensitive way excelent work

  • AngelaFoster

    AngelaFoster

    great image

  • Mariaan Krog Art Portfolio

    Mariaan Krog A...

    Fabulous!

  • AnaCBStudio

    AnaCBStudio

    Amazing work…beautiful composition…

  • JanG

    JanG

    Lovely mood, and I can see why you are proud of this one! Here you can see where our house cats might be related to them. Fantastic shot!

  • DarkStars

    DarkStars

    I adore all your work, love the emotion here :)

  • impala01gurl

    impala01gurl

    What an amazing picture!!! Absolutely stunning!!!

  • Kevin Jeffery

    Kevin Jeffery

    Absolutely Beautiful shot

  • catnip addict manor
  • mikepaulhamus

    mikepaulhamus

    wow ! awesome capture…

  • DigitalDelights

    DigitalDelights

    Fantastic and rare capture.. I like the effect you have given it gives it an emotional feel to it.. beautiful

  • FrozenMoments

    FrozenMoments

    Amazing photograph. Such a rare shot, with so much depth and feeling in it.

  • Judson Joyce

    Judson Joyce

    Great shot. The feelings of the 2 are caught by your eye. Great!!!

  • Mat Moore

    Mat Moore

    Awesome!

  • ArcadiaTempest

    ArcadiaTempest

    beautiful, beautiful creatures…..beautiful pic :)

  • Elana Bailey

    Elana Bailey

    Natalie, this is a superb shot. I love the emotion, the tenderness between these two lions and the processing. Is this your most viewed and favourited shot? It should be….lol…Well done. Another fav.

  • Natalie Manuel replied

    Hi Elana,

    Nope, “Power” is, another LIon shot, but this I believe is second :) Have to admit it’s my personal favourite.

  • Jennifer Woodward

    Jennifer Woodward

    So beautiful! Well done! :-)

  • Stephen Thomas

    Stephen Thomas

    Outstanding photo!

  • Robyn Maynard

    Robyn Maynard

    OMG! I absolutely LOVE this shot ~ Stunning!

  • MilanPhotography .

    MilanPhotograp...

    Wow! Amazing shot. Brilliantly taken! Wow!

    Milan

  • jwinman

    jwinman

    great capture, fantastic editing!

  • hybaby

    hybaby

    Fantastic shot, i love the emotion and gentleness youv captured, love your editing aslo :)

  • rodeorose

    rodeorose

    Speechless…One of the most sensual shots I’ve seen. Love your color and contrast treatment.

  • ViktoryiaN

    ViktoryiaN

    Terrific shot! Wow!

  • BOBBYBABE

    BOBBYBABE

    amazing

  • Elana Bailey

    Elana Bailey

    Congrats on the sale, Natalie. Cheers Elana. P.S. Wasn’t me…lol.

  • CORA D. MITCHELL

    CORA D. MITCHELL

    This should be on the cover of National Geographic!!!!!!

  • spirittina

    spirittina

    awww this is just adorable geez i love the big cats

  • Ann J. Przyojski

    Ann J. Przyojski

    Amazing capture and PP work. All your animal captures are OUTSTANDING, Natalie.

  • Betsy  Seeton

    Betsy Seeton 27 days ago

    Absolutely gorgeous… omgosh… It’s one of my favorites….

  • Sandy Stewart

    Sandy Stewart 17 days ago

    Beautifully taken and edited! : )

  • Matt Hansen

    Matt Hansen 14 days ago

    Stunning!!! Very serene moment! Lovely

  • Scott  d'Almeida

    Scott d'Almeida 9 days ago

    outstanding,

  • Kieran O'Connor

    Kieran O'Connor 9 days ago

    Instant fav, this is just, amazing!

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