Here is a couger shot showing the window and some new winter storm photos for C&C

[photo guy]

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[photo guy]

The snow storm photos were taken yesterday during the storm when I was out and about. The cougar photo was taken on 11/18/2011. C&C appreciated. Thank You

 

[tirediron]

Too be honest I'm not getting much from any of these images. Your "storm" photos are lacking any evidence of a storm; all I see is some slush on the street (I live in Victoria, and we've had worse snow falls!). The cougar shot would be bettered titled "Cougar butt through a window with wall around". Zoo photos are very difficult to pull off, since, due to the conditions and shooting limitations, they almost alway look like zoo photos. Get as close as you can to the glass and focus in tight on one of the cat's heads avoiding, as best you can, all of the obviously man-made surroundings.

 

[Overread]

tirediron - I'd say I disagree with the advice on the cougar shot; at least since I feel that its possibly ignoring the shot that the photographer wanted to get and is instead imposing the shot you'd want to get instead. By which I mean that whilst the advice you give is solid in getting a shot at a zoo that might not look like it was a zoo shot, the photographer here has clearly included a lot of the surroundings. To my mind this says that those surroundings were intended to be part of the shot itself, rather than waste content.


However I can certainly say that I feel the shot is lacking, it looks (and I hate using this term) more like a snapshot than anything else; if simply because not only are the cougars not shown neither interacting with the viewer nor each other, nor engaging in any meaningful activity or display or emotion (though I think the one walking away is yawning); furthermore the surrounding content isn't telling a story so much as just feeling like its clutter. The idea of presenting the cage as well as the animal is sound, but I feel that composition, emotion and a point of focus are significantly lacking in this shot.

I can't say how to change the shot were one to get another chance, so I'll say that its a sign that one needs to read more on the theory of composition (rule of 3rds, golden circle, leading lines etc...) and also probably spend longer waiting and watching the animals to pic the right moment to press the shutter.

 

[photo guy]

I tried to get shots from the front windows but kept getting too much reflection of myself and the other surroundings in the window taking away from the shot so that is why I chose to go to a side window. The cougar that is laying down is the same one that I photographed the week prior that would not stop moving around. One the previous shot of the cougar I posted I was asked to show the window situation so that is what I am doing. As far as the snow storm, that is what the news around here called it since it was forcast as only rain going to happen.

 

[thereyougo!]

I tried to get shots from the front windows but kept getting too much reflection of myself and the other surroundings in the window taking away from the shot so that is why I chose to go to a side window. The cougar that is laying down is the same one that I photographed the week prior that would not stop moving around. One the previous shot of the cougar I posted I was asked to show the window situation so that is what I am doing. As far as the snow storm, that is what the news around here called it since it was forcast as only rain going to happen.

As I said in the other thread, the only way you will avoid getting your reflection in the shot and this is how myself and Mr Pink did it is to get the lens right up to the glass as in pretty much touching it. I have to agree with Overread on the shot I'm afraid. Taking a picture of the rear end of an animal or a person rarely works as they aren't telling a story. Now if the Cougar had been walking towards the camera and yawning, then there would be a story in the shot. At the moment all it is saying is here are some animals in the local zoo. Do read up on composition, it will pay dividends in the end.

 

[SCraig]

Windows can be dealt with. This One was shot through an acrylic screen in front of their paddock. There are a lot more on This Page as well. All of the fish and reptiles, as well as the Clouded Leopard, Red Panda, and several others were shot through glass. The fish and reptiles were shot through glass using a flash, to make things even worse. Many of the others were shot through wire fencing if there wasn't glass.

Shoot at a wide aperture and put your lens right against the glass. Literally. Let it touch the glass. That will kill all the reflections. A filter and a lens shade are very handy accessories when doing that to.

 

[LightSpeed]

If I may offer this for your progress.......
You have completely ignored the rule of thirds in both landscapes/street scapes.
You had it right there in front of you. But missed it.
In both of those shots , you should have 2/3's sky on the horizon, up.
Or you could have gone 1/3 sky......and 2/3's ground/scene.
As they are now, they are split in halves.
Don't shoot the messenger. I only offer this to see you do better next go-round.

Cougers and wildlife.
You must get theses shots in their natural environments, as hard as that may be. Trust me when I tell you that it's very hard to do.
Days and weeks of sitting and waiting. One must nearly be full time dedicated to photography and getting the shot. That's precisely where having a job puts a damper on things.
Unless you're a full time photographer, dedicated to wildlife and such. Kinda like some of the stuff that I do. I'm about ready to say SCREW the job too.

 

[Overread]

Cougers and wildlife.
You must get theses shots in their natural environments,

Why?

 

[LightSpeed]

Take a look at National geographic and you tell me. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with snapshots at the zoo.
Even had that been shot through the window properly, it still wouldn't have looked natural. Not to mention the image quality will be degraded.
Along with man made elements which are often un-avoidable at the zoo. However there are situations where it can be pulled off, depending on the zoo.

Why?

Well, why do anything half way, if it's what you really want to do.

 

[Overread]

Ahh but isn't that a little single minded and assuming that wild appearing shots are the only ones worth taking of animals that are not pets?

edit - I seem to recall reading of the tiger sanctuary run by monks and I'm fairly sure that appeared with pictures in nat geo.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Ahh but isn't that a little single minded and assuming that wild appearing shots are the only ones worth taking of animals that are not pets?

edit - I seem to recall reading of the tiger sanctuary run by monks and I'm fairly sure that appeared with pictures in nat geo.

Meh. Zoo shots are zoo shots.

 

[Overread]

Ahh but isn't that a little single minded and assuming that wild appearing shots are the only ones worth taking of animals that are not pets?

edit - I seem to recall reading of the tiger sanctuary run by monks and I'm fairly sure that appeared with pictures in nat geo.

Meh. Zoo shots are zoo shots.

to which I say

Meh studio shots are studio shots

 

[LightSpeed]

Ahh but isn't that a little single minded and assuming that wild appearing shots are the only ones worth taking of animals that are not pets?

edit - I seem to recall reading of the tiger sanctuary run by monks and I'm fairly sure that appeared with pictures in nat geo.

Maybe it is a bit single minded. I'm most certain that the Tiger sanctuary you refer to is located in Thailand. The tigers are in a much more natural looking setting where the man made elements are more limited.
Additionally, a monk from Thailand himself makes for a good subject, along with the tigers. This is totally different than shooting into a glassed cage with windows all around.
As I said there are exceptions. I'm certain everyone is not going to do what I do. Some just don't have the time for it, nor are they willing to sit out from sunrise to sunset. And MAYBE get something.
It's hard. It's time consuming. There is no guarantee you'll come home with a good capture. I could, however, see getting wild looking shots on water fowl, since they are for the most part , tamed, at the zoo.
In the wild on the other hand, you better have your game face on.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Meh. Zoo shots are zoo shots.

to which I say

Meh studio shots are studio shots

Apples and oranges.

Next!