First Day of 2012 - January 1st Zoo Trip

[Zydeco]

Because I didn't get to spend much time on my last outing to the zoo, I went again! Got some really great pictures, I think. The zoo was almost completely empty, and most of the animals were fairly active.

Critique is welcome.

#1

#2

#3

#4

 

[TracyF]

#4 is my favorite! Great shot! What kind of editing did you do to these? #1 and #2 are also great. #3 does nothing for me.

I feel like these could pop a lot more with the correct photoshop adjustments!

 

[Zydeco]

I hardly did any editing on these, really. I opened up the RAW files for the ones I decided were keepers, and corrected the exposure, as well as a few minor adjustments in clarity/contrast/blacks.

 

[TracyF]

Yeah, wow you've got some awesome shots. Photoshop could really help bring out the tones in some of those photos and make them even more wonderful. You've got a great eye!

 

[Zydeco]

I've been told that a few times by two family friends that do photography, back when I was just using my point and shoot, so thanks for the compliment! These were taken by my new Canon 550d, though, equipped with the EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Lens. I may try fiddling with them in Photoshop, but if you'd like to show me what you were thinking, feel free to edit.

 

[swampmonkey]

Aububon Zoo?

 

[Zydeco]

Yeah, this was at the Audubon Zoo! How'd you figure? ;P

 

[rexbobcat]

#1 is a kind of humorous photograph. It looks like the lion is squinting into the sun.

#2 is still a little bit under-exposed. The white feathers are a kind of light grey, instead of being true white.

#3 is a little too busy and a bit dark as well. The subject gets lost in the background. The blacks are also too overpowering, and the lighting is soft enough to define the contours of the skin.

#4 This is the strongest image, I believe. It has a nice composition, and the gorilla has a nice expression.

 

[Zydeco]

Thanks, rexbobcat! Yeah, I notice now that I could have a higher exposure on the macaw. It didn't seem as dim when I first viewed it, heh. Probably could have done a tighter crop/zoom on the raccoon, as well, without cutting out the frame of the windshield which I was using to frame the subject.

 

[Annerotica]

Good job, and I love number 4!

 

[Zydeco]

I'm pretty partial to #4 myself! He was the one large Silverback Gorilla in the enclosure, the large and in-charge "alpha" of the others that were there. I got really lucky when, after sitting around waiting for ten minutes, he wandered out from the far, shaded corner and got right up ontop of the tall rock platform. Gave me the perfect shot distance, I was excited.

 

[Ocho_1]

great pics. We went to the zoo a few days before New Years. It was my 1st time using my new camera out in the wild, so to speak, lol..

I ended up taking over 150 shots, but I need to upload them, so.........................