Is it wildlife photography at a zoo?

[Garbow]

Hi all,
just a question that has had me thinking. Even though they go to great lengths to replicate the animals natural environment, is it classed as wildlife photography at a zoo, or does it have to be out in the actual wild?

 

[KJ_North]

I think it is as often for rarer animals it is all we have to work with.

 

[Garbow]

I think it is as often for rarer animals it is all we have to work with.

Yeah you could be right, I never thought of it that way, thanks for your reply.

 

[otherprof114 15]

I remember reading National Geographic photographer explaining how some of the shots for a feature on wolves were taken at the NY Zoological Garden a.k.a. the Bronx Zoo. I remember it so well because he explained how he had his camera up twelve feet from the ground, and when he checked through the viewfinder he saw a wolf's eye looking back at him! It had jumped almost straight up!

 

[otherprof114 15]

I remember reading National Geographic photographer explaining how some of the shots for a feature on wolves were taken at the NY Zoological Garden a.k.a. the Bronx Zoo. I remember it so well because he explained how he had his camera up twelve feet from the ground, and when he checked through the viewfinder he saw a wolf's eye looking back at him! It had jumped almost straight up!

 

[cgw142 167]

No. Nor is a photo of a stuffed bear in Yellowstone.

 

[Jeff1574 74]

Hello and welcome, the answer to your question is NO ...

 

[RScottie140 55]

I think it would be disingenuous to pass off photos of caged animals as being "in the wild" but an elephant is still an elephant and they are beautiful animals to photograph.

 

[greybeard59 32]

It is wildlife photography at a zoo. Not the same as in the wild but still pretty cool.

 

[DanOstergren]

I'm not a wildlife photographer, so my opinion on this doesn't mean much. I personally wouldn't consider it wildlife. Maybe zoolife.

 

[cgw142 167]

I'm OK with the disclaimer "captive animal."

 

[4rum]

Once, at Detroit Zoo, while standing by a sign that read 'Do Not Feed the Animals, feeding an ostrich, the rascal bit me. I consider that pretty wild!

 

[TJMcG138 21]

I have never considered animals in a zoo to be wild in the sense that they are free to roam and hunt, or forage. They are not domesticated in the sense of your pet cat or dog, but they are entirely dependent on humans to feed and care for them, they are used to human presence, and while still potentially dangerous, they are essentially caged. I've photographed lots of animals in zoos, and for me, they are just another subject, but I think that, like any other subject, ethics calls for disclosure, and a zoo animal should not be presented as in the wild.

 

[MartinCrabtree133 29]

I cannot afford travel to Africa for photographing lions. If that's what it takes for me to get that photo it is what it is. It's in poor taste to misrepresent the image after the fact. My opinion and nothing more.

Problem is I detest zoos. Yet again it is what it is.

 

[SunriseAvenue]

No, I think the term wildlife is pretty self-explanatory and shooting at the zoo might end up at you having really nice pictures and making a cute smartshow 3d video with various animals, but it wouldn't be wildlife. At the most generous, it would be an imitation imo.