A remote-controlled customized buggy fitted with a Nikon D800 captured startling close-ups of lions in the open in Botswana. Photographer Chris McLennan's Car-L was in the thick of the action.
Photographer Chris McLennan had an idea to get insanely close with a pride of lions to capture them in his camera. As scary as it sounds, McLennan found a safe way to do so. He fitted his Nikon D800E w/ 18-35mm lens inside an AquaTech sound blimp modified by friend Carl Hansen, dubbed as Car-L. The buggy had a wireless remote control, like the ones used in remote cars. McLennan's out-of-the-box thinking got him a great piece of art for his Botswana tour album.
New Zealand's McLennan is a wildlife photographer and Nikon New Zealand ambassador. He is known for his outstanding collection of wildlife pictures. The latest expedition to Africa got a little more exciting as his tiny buggy drove right into a pride of lions to capture some close-ups. Car-L did manage to get some extra-ordinary snaps, but not without paying a price for it. The sunbathing lions got curious with the approach of Car-L and tried to eat it at first and then abduct it. But the little adventurous machine survived to tell the story of its rendezvous with the lions.
McLennan used a super wide-angle lens to capture the action in unique positions. The lions grappling with the buggy gave the images a little extra touch. Despite the tug-of-war between the lions, Car-L survived and returned to its rightful owner. Thanks to the custom protective covering, the images were safely stored in McLennan's Mac. See the close-ups of the lions here.
Be sure to watch the video of all the action. The video uploaded on YouTube has got more than 2 million hits already. McLennan's great work of art can be seen at his website here.
