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- #16
A few thoughts to add to the above:
1) What should a "zoo shot" look like? Well honestly it should look like you want it to. Some people like to remove all the man made elements and to present a very "naturally wild" photo whilst others combine the two and some even aim to take photos that use the man made elements as a core part of the photo itself.
You can tell a lot of different stories depending how you shoot and you can also read the situation and see what stories are told to you from how the animals act and behave. In the end there is no "right" way to shoot a zoo photo with regard to what you should and shouldn't include. You should simply approach it like any other subject; choosing to frame what the shot needs to capture the moment you want.
2) Plan your day as best you can. Have a look at the feed times, quite a few zoos time them so that they'll happen one after the other in a rough circuit of the zoo; others will be more haphazard and happen here and there. So plan ahead and get a feel for where you want to be and at what time. This helps a lot if you're very new to a zoo and won't have a feel for how it operates or how the animals behave.
Feeding times (or other events) also draw a crowd so try to get there ahead of the event so that you can get a good position.
3) Consider what you want to do - sometimes you'll want to flit from animal to animal, other times you might want to sit for an hour or three at just one enclosure. Remember the longer you watch specific animals the more you can build up an idea of their habbits and patterns and thus better be able to position yourself for a shot.
4) Get there early - not just to maximise your shooting time, but because early morning starts present both good lighting and lighter crowds. Middle of the day things will be busier and you'll have more difficult, typically harsher lighting to deal with.
5) What lenses to take - well this depends very much upon what you have and also upon the zoo and finally upon what type of photo you want to take. Zoom lenses tend to be very popular though because of the wide variety of subject sizes and distances that the environment presents. Primes still have their place though so never be afraid to take them and work within the single focal length. Generally I would say for animals that you'll want at least 70-200mm or longer in focal lengths all the way up to 500mm options.
6) Ditch family and friends - yep seriously if you go with others you likely will find you'll want an 18-85mm or 24-105mm and you won't take as many animal shots as you will family photos. The experience is different and if you go with others you'll be socialising with them more than following your photography.
7) Get close;
a) wire can be a pain to shoot through, but if you can get it right up to the lens it simply won't show in the photos much of the time. If it does then you'll get a hazy line or so through the photo, simply selectively increasing the contrast for that hazy area normally fixes this in editing.
The worst pens for this tend to be big cats where you have 2 barriers that keep you away from the primary wire and can make shooting photos of them more difficult.
b) glass is also a pain and can cast random reflections all over the place. A circular polarizer will sap you some light, but will allow you to remove the reflections. Similarly getting the lens right up to the glass will again remove the problem (a rubber lens hood is good for this as you can press it right up and "seal" the hood around the glass easily. I've also known photographers to use a large black sheet of card with a hold in the middle slotted over their lens; the card then acts like a big barrier that prevents reflective light landing on the glass and lets you shoot with ease.
8) Flash - flash won't harm any animals* although of course in some areas you will want to restrict its use. For example indoor dark rooms for bats and similar nocturnal creatures will typically have "no flash" signs which you should always follow. Similarly some animals are known to react badly to it (any good zoo that knows this will post warning signs on the pen, again if you see direction simply follow it).
Now whilst flash won't "hurt" animals it can cause distress, so if you do use the flash to give a bit of fill lighting do keep a mindful eye on your subject and others in the pen as well; if any show distress to the use of the flash turn it off. If you're using a big speedlite style flash also consider removing it from the camera if the animal shows obvious signs of not liking it - chances are even with it not flashing they can recognise its shape and react to that (big pockets are a photographers best friend!)
9) Talk to the keepers; you don't want to hound and badger them, but if the opportunity presents itself have a chat with them. You might well pick up on a few tips on what animals tend to be active at what times and even get some hints on good places to get a few shots that you might not have otherwise noticed. In the best of cases you might also be able to get some additional access (this tends to be more a thing you'll find at smaller establishments where staff are more empowered - larger and more commercial setups tend to have a much more strict operation and getting around the corners can be harder). One such way is that most zoos open later, but the site itself will be very active early on as it prepares so sometimes you can work your way in earlier than the regular public - it will vary; but if you're going to be a regular at the zoo then having a good rapport with the staff is a very good thing to have.
Edit (I forgot one)
10) When you first get to a new enclosure walk around it a few times at first. Take shots as they present themselves, but move around at first and get a feel for the different possible positions you can use to get photos. Consider laying down or crouching; consider higher and lower angles (without breaching safety of course). This helps you assess the situation and means that you won't just get stuck in a rut shooting from one place the whole time.
11) Kneepads - ok ok you might think you look a fool wearing them; but honestly most zoos have gravel and concrete pathways. Going down on one knee to get a lower angle shot not only wears out your knees on your trousers but also wears out your knees as well (and fatigues you faster). Pads can be a lifesaver in letting you kneel without being in discomfort (if you're really worried about image, consider wearing them under your trousers - you might need baggy trousers for this ;P)
* I have yet to read of it ever being recorded to cause direct harm; indeed pulses of bright light such as sun reflections off water/reflective surfaces and lightning are parts of the natural world itself.
1) What should a "zoo shot" look like? Well honestly it should look like you want it to. Some people like to remove all the man made elements and to present a very "naturally wild" photo whilst others combine the two and some even aim to take photos that use the man made elements as a core part of the photo itself.
You can tell a lot of different stories depending how you shoot and you can also read the situation and see what stories are told to you from how the animals act and behave. In the end there is no "right" way to shoot a zoo photo with regard to what you should and shouldn't include. You should simply approach it like any other subject; choosing to frame what the shot needs to capture the moment you want.
2) Plan your day as best you can. Have a look at the feed times, quite a few zoos time them so that they'll happen one after the other in a rough circuit of the zoo; others will be more haphazard and happen here and there. So plan ahead and get a feel for where you want to be and at what time. This helps a lot if you're very new to a zoo and won't have a feel for how it operates or how the animals behave.
Feeding times (or other events) also draw a crowd so try to get there ahead of the event so that you can get a good position.
3) Consider what you want to do - sometimes you'll want to flit from animal to animal, other times you might want to sit for an hour or three at just one enclosure. Remember the longer you watch specific animals the more you can build up an idea of their habbits and patterns and thus better be able to position yourself for a shot.
4) Get there early - not just to maximise your shooting time, but because early morning starts present both good lighting and lighter crowds. Middle of the day things will be busier and you'll have more difficult, typically harsher lighting to deal with.
5) What lenses to take - well this depends very much upon what you have and also upon the zoo and finally upon what type of photo you want to take. Zoom lenses tend to be very popular though because of the wide variety of subject sizes and distances that the environment presents. Primes still have their place though so never be afraid to take them and work within the single focal length. Generally I would say for animals that you'll want at least 70-200mm or longer in focal lengths all the way up to 500mm options.
6) Ditch family and friends - yep seriously if you go with others you likely will find you'll want an 18-85mm or 24-105mm and you won't take as many animal shots as you will family photos. The experience is different and if you go with others you'll be socialising with them more than following your photography.
7) Get close;
a) wire can be a pain to shoot through, but if you can get it right up to the lens it simply won't show in the photos much of the time. If it does then you'll get a hazy line or so through the photo, simply selectively increasing the contrast for that hazy area normally fixes this in editing.
The worst pens for this tend to be big cats where you have 2 barriers that keep you away from the primary wire and can make shooting photos of them more difficult.
b) glass is also a pain and can cast random reflections all over the place. A circular polarizer will sap you some light, but will allow you to remove the reflections. Similarly getting the lens right up to the glass will again remove the problem (a rubber lens hood is good for this as you can press it right up and "seal" the hood around the glass easily. I've also known photographers to use a large black sheet of card with a hold in the middle slotted over their lens; the card then acts like a big barrier that prevents reflective light landing on the glass and lets you shoot with ease.
8) Flash - flash won't harm any animals* although of course in some areas you will want to restrict its use. For example indoor dark rooms for bats and similar nocturnal creatures will typically have "no flash" signs which you should always follow. Similarly some animals are known to react badly to it (any good zoo that knows this will post warning signs on the pen, again if you see direction simply follow it).
Now whilst flash won't "hurt" animals it can cause distress, so if you do use the flash to give a bit of fill lighting do keep a mindful eye on your subject and others in the pen as well; if any show distress to the use of the flash turn it off. If you're using a big speedlite style flash also consider removing it from the camera if the animal shows obvious signs of not liking it - chances are even with it not flashing they can recognise its shape and react to that (big pockets are a photographers best friend!)
9) Talk to the keepers; you don't want to hound and badger them, but if the opportunity presents itself have a chat with them. You might well pick up on a few tips on what animals tend to be active at what times and even get some hints on good places to get a few shots that you might not have otherwise noticed. In the best of cases you might also be able to get some additional access (this tends to be more a thing you'll find at smaller establishments where staff are more empowered - larger and more commercial setups tend to have a much more strict operation and getting around the corners can be harder). One such way is that most zoos open later, but the site itself will be very active early on as it prepares so sometimes you can work your way in earlier than the regular public - it will vary; but if you're going to be a regular at the zoo then having a good rapport with the staff is a very good thing to have.
Edit (I forgot one)
10) When you first get to a new enclosure walk around it a few times at first. Take shots as they present themselves, but move around at first and get a feel for the different possible positions you can use to get photos. Consider laying down or crouching; consider higher and lower angles (without breaching safety of course). This helps you assess the situation and means that you won't just get stuck in a rut shooting from one place the whole time.
11) Kneepads - ok ok you might think you look a fool wearing them; but honestly most zoos have gravel and concrete pathways. Going down on one knee to get a lower angle shot not only wears out your knees on your trousers but also wears out your knees as well (and fatigues you faster). Pads can be a lifesaver in letting you kneel without being in discomfort (if you're really worried about image, consider wearing them under your trousers - you might need baggy trousers for this ;P)
* I have yet to read of it ever being recorded to cause direct harm; indeed pulses of bright light such as sun reflections off water/reflective surfaces and lightning are parts of the natural world itself.
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