zoo c&c

e36style · Mar 23, 2010

I've had my camera since christmas 09, i used my parents for a maybe 2 years prior. I'm trying to make the most out of what i have sony a230 with kit lens. I just can't seem to get any picture to turn out how i want. I've taken thousands of pictures and I love photography but frankly i'm not that great. I would love to improve, any tips would be welcomed. Are there any books you suggest i read that could really help me out? My pictures just dont seem to "pop" out like professional photos. I have the hardest time with photography in bright sunlight and night time. i probably delete 7/8 of my photos i take. here are a few i got from the zoo the other day. These are definetly my best of the bunch

myfotoguy · Mar 23, 2010

Some Books I would suggest:
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
Learning to See Creatively by Bryan Peterson
The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman

icassell · Mar 24, 2010

e36style said:
I've had my camera since christmas 09, i used my parents for a maybe 2 years prior. I'm trying to make the most out of what i have sony a230 with kit lens. I just can't seem to get any picture to turn out how i want. I've taken thousands of pictures and I love photography but frankly i'm not that great. I would love to improve, any tips would be welcomed. Are there any books you suggest i read that could really help me out? My pictures just dont seem to "pop" out like professional photos. I have the hardest time with photography in bright sunlight and night time. i probably delete 7/8 of my photos i take. here are a few i got from the zoo the other day. These are definetly my best of the bunch

The above listed books are among my favorites as well.

More specifically, bright sunlight is not easy to work with. You will find that many photographers avoid mid-day light because of the harsh nature and, instead, gravitate to the magic hours at the beginning and end of the day. If you have 1/8 keepers as a beginner, you are doing very well! Keep at it!

One thing that makes zoo photography more effective is to attempt to compose such that it is not obvious that it is a captive animal (i.e. try to keep cage, fence, etc. out of your images). Here's a good TPF link: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...05-how-take-good-zoo-pictures-sabbath999.html

e36style · Mar 25, 2010

thanks for the replies i would still appreciate some c&c so bump for c&c

JeffieLove · Mar 25, 2010

this isn't really cc or anything, but I am IN LOVE with those waxy tree frogs!!!!

I want one as a pet one day

Either that or a red eyed tree frog - they are GORGEOUS!

indeedies · Mar 25, 2010

Not to toot my horn but I went to the zoo yesterday and was able to get some pretty cool images. I didn't even bother with the animals behind glass behind the BG screamed "ZOO". Remember next time when you go to look at the LCD and see if you can see any wires, fences, stupid play toys, or anything else that will tell the viewer it's a zoo.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...um-photo-gallery/198268-more-tiger-shots.html

e36style · Mar 25, 2010

i wish i couldve have gotten pictures without the wires or fences in them but my lens just couldnt zoom far enough.

indeedies · Mar 25, 2010

You can always crop ;-)

reznap · Mar 25, 2010

icassel left you the best advice imo: When taking zoo pics make them not look like zoo pics. I think the only one you really succeeded that with is #2.

1 and 6 are very overexposed. 7 is a bit under.

The snake in 4 is terrible lighting and only would have come out nice with a flash.

3 and 5 have too much wall visible which ruins the shot imo. I would maybe take the time to clone the lines out in photoshop if you know how. In the future, definitely shoot on the largest aperture possible (in situations like these) and maybe with some zoom to get the walls and background as out of focus as possible.

I also think 2 can be better with a little bit of a crop. I did just that with some minor color and contrast adjustments.

If you hate it, just ignore it, lol.

e36style · Mar 27, 2010

thanks for the replies.
i'm wanting to get another lens, but not sure what to go with. i just want something a bit sharper and with a larger apperture then what my current lens has. i think the largest is f4.6. I'm not sure if i should go with a prime lens or telephoto. i love macro photos or just fairly close up photos. what would you suggest for a second lens?

ronniemc · Mar 29, 2010

I have not been to the zoo yet but I have heard that the best times are in the morning as soon as they open. Thats when all the animals are let out and not crouded.
I would think that you need a telephoto lens to get as close as you want and they can be pretty expensive. I got mine in a package deal with my Nikon D5000. I would love to have a wide angle lens now but the price is just crazy.

Don't get discouraged. I think everyone goes through many photos trying to find that WOW factor. If you are having fun taking photos, keep doing it. Read everything you can about it or take a class.
There are a million want to be's on here and some are just brutal when it comes to comments. Take what you want and leave the rest.

e36style · Mar 30, 2010

i ordered a wide angle/fish eye/macro lens on amazon it was like $30. we'll see how it is. had fairly good reviews as well

ronniemc · Apr 3, 2010

WOW I can't beleive you got it for that price

e36style · Apr 3, 2010

i thought it was actually a lens, but you just screw it onto the end of your lens. it comes with a macro attachment, the one it came with was clear but didnt quite give you the fisheye look. so i added my +10 macro attachment and rounded everything out a bit more but the edges were quite a bit more blurry.